South Kordofan Villagers Rally For Truce As Gold-Area Dispute Escalates

Kauda, August 29, 2026 - Hundreds of villagers marched near Kauda in South Kordofan to demand an end to clashes between Otoro tribal fighters and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North, highlighting the fragility of local ceasefire efforts in a resource-sensitive conflict zone.

The demonstration took place in Kajoor Al-Shaabiya village and drew local women, youth groups, veterans and tribal figures. Protesters urged communities across Heiban County to support a peace initiative and warned that renewed violence could deepen divisions among the Nuba population.

The unrest has continued despite mediation by Rapid Support Forces commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, along with religious and civic leaders. Both the SPLM-N faction led by Abdelaziz al-Hilu and Otoro fighters had informally agreed to halt hostilities, but no formal pact had been signed.

Otoro Paramount Chief Koko Al-Daqir Damjala accused the SPLM-N's military wing of violating the truce by moving combat units into Kauda over the previous 48 hours. He said an SPLM-N reconnaissance patrol entered Kauda on August 27 and detonated a fuel station, wounding 28 civilians clearing farmland nearby, and that a separate unit entered on August 28, looted stores and advanced toward an aid agency compound before being repelled.

The dispute stems from longstanding boundary tensions and is closely linked to competition over nearby artisanal gold mines, making the breakdown of local mediation a security and resource-governance risk in South Kordofan.