Kathmandu— At least 27 people, including four children, have been killed in recent attacks carried out by the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM-N) rebel group in Sudan's South Kordofan province, according to a statement released Tuesday by the Sudan Doctors Network. The killings occurred in the Qardud and Abu Hamama areas, inhabited primarily by members of the Otoro tribe, and have prompted warnings of escalating ethnic conflict amidst an ongoing civil war that began in April 2023. These attacks resulted in significant displacement as civilians fled towards Abu Hitan and Kadugli. The Sudan Doctors Network has condemned the targeting of unarmed civilians as a violation of international humanitarian law.

Rising Violence in South Kordofan

The recent killings follow earlier fighting this year between SPLM-N forces and members of the Otoro tribe, a minority group residing in the Nuba Mountains. The initial conflict stemmed from land disputes but has since become intertwined with Sudan’s broader civil war. This layering of conflicts threatens to exacerbate existing tensions and potentially ignite wider ethnic violence within South Kordofan.

SPLM-N Alignment with RSF

The SPLM-N is a breakaway faction of the ruling party in neighboring South Sudan, and its leader, Abdel Aziz al-Hilu, has aligned his fighters with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). This alliance has seen the group join ranks with the RSF-led parallel government currently operating within Sudan. The Sudan Doctors Network specifically called for international pressure on SPLM-N leadership to cease attacks against civilians.

Humanitarian Crisis Deepens

The ongoing civil war in Sudan has already created a dire humanitarian crisis, resulting in at least 59,000 deaths and displacing approximately 14 million people from their homes. The World Health Organization estimates that 33.7 million Sudanese citizens – roughly two-thirds of the country’s population – are currently in need of humanitarian assistance. Women were among those wounded in the recent attacks, further compounding the vulnerability of affected communities.

The Sudan Doctors Network continues to monitor the situation and provide medical aid to those impacted by the violence, while urging international intervention to prevent further escalation and protect civilians.

(With inputs from Al Jazeera)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.