**Title: Dozens Killed in Rebel Attacks on Sudan’s Kordofan, Medical Group Reports**
**Date: August 26, 2026**
A recent report from the Sudan Doctors Network has highlighted a tragic escalation of violence in South Kordofan, Sudan, where at least 27 individuals, including four children, were reportedly killed in attacks attributed to the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N). The incidents occurred in the areas of Qardud and Abu Hamama, regions primarily inhabited by the Otoro tribe.
The medical organization condemned the attacks, characterizing them as a direct assault on unarmed civilians based on ethnic lines, which they assert constitutes a clear violation of international humanitarian law. The statement emphasized the potential for these actions to exacerbate ethnic tensions, warning that the conflict in South Kordofan could escalate into a broader ethnic conflict if such violations continue.
The recent violence follows a series of intense clashes earlier this year between SPLM-N forces and members of the Otoro tribe, a minority group located in the Nuba Mountains of South Kordofan. These confrontations have roots in longstanding land disputes, further complicating the already volatile situation in the region.
In the wake of the attacks, a significant number of residents have been displaced, seeking refuge in areas such as Abu Hitan and Kadugli. The Sudan Doctors Network has called for the international community to intervene and exert pressure on SPLM-N leadership to cease hostilities against civilians, noting that women were among those injured in the latest wave of violence.
The SPLM-N is a faction that broke away from the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement, the ruling party of neighboring South Sudan. Under the leadership of Abdel Aziz al-Hilu, the SPLM-N has allied itself with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and has joined the RSF-led parallel government in Sudan.
The ongoing civil war in Sudan, which erupted in April 2023 between the Sudanese army and the RSF, has had devastating consequences. The conflict has resulted in the deaths of at least 59,000 people and has displaced approximately 14 million individuals from their homes. According to the World Health Organization, around 33.7 million people—two-thirds of Sudan’s population—are in need of humanitarian assistance.
As the situation in South Kordofan continues to deteriorate, the international community remains watchful, calling for accountability and a resolution to the violence that has plagued the region for years.