Kauda, May 11 (Darfur24)
The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N), led by Abdel Aziz al-Hilu, acknowledged on Saturday carrying out attacks on villages near Kauda following what it described as a rebellion by a local armed group linked to a tribal dispute over border demarcation.
Last week, SPLM-N forces launched attacks on villages in the Atoro region, resulting in deaths and injuries among civilians, as well as widespread displacement, according to eyewitnesses who spoke to Darfur24 on Friday.
In a statement, the movement said a bloody conflict erupted on March 12 in the Dubai area between the Shawaya and Atoro tribes over disagreements related to border demarcation.
The movement stated that it had deployed military forces to separate the two sides and restore stability, adding that military officers from both tribes were ordered to report to the General Staff headquarters for investigation.
According to the statement, officers from the Shawaya tribe complied with the orders, while officers from the Atoro tribe refused and later organized what the movement described as a “rebel” group that attacked the SPLA forces.
The SPLM-N stated that it considered those actions an act of rebellion, emphasizing that repeated efforts to contain the situation had been unsuccessful.
Sources told Darfur24 that clashes between Monday and Thursday spread across the villages of Sharoubir and Karbo, north of Kauda, leaving civilians dead and injured, while homes were burned and residents displaced.
The sources also reported deaths among children and elderly people due to hunger, in addition to alleged violations that included looting, livestock slaughter, and sexual violence against women.
According to local accounts, the village of Karbo and large parts of Sharoubir were burned down, forcing residents to flee toward the mountains and the town of Al-Luwayri.
The SPLM-N called on residents, particularly members of the Atoro tribe, to exercise restraint, avoid areas where the armed group is operating, and continue their daily activities normally.
The movement said its forces “will not tolerate any attempt to drag the region into chaos and military anarchy,” emphasizing that the military operations were carried out under institutional orders from the movement’s leadership and not individual decisions.
The statement also referred to a conference held in Heiban between July 31 and August 1, 2022, to discuss border demarcation among local tribes.
It said all participating tribes agreed to the demarcation arrangements except the Atoro tribe, which rejected the outcome despite taking part in the committees overseeing the process.
According to the movement, some members of the Atoro tribe later removed concrete border markers, reigniting tensions and contributing to the outbreak of violence in the Dubai area.
Kauda remains the main stronghold of the SPLM-N led by Abdel Aziz al-Hilu.