The state of South Kordofan is experiencing a brutal humanitarian crisis due to the escalating pace of battles between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). This is compounded by the siege imposed by the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N), particularly on the cities of Kadugli, Al-Kargal, and Dilami. Health and living conditions in these cities have deteriorated significantly due to continuous shelling, displacement, and the total collapse of basic services.
Despite SAF retaking of the city of Dilling, the movement of goods to the state capital, Kadugli, and several other regional towns remains restricted. This has exacerbated living conditions as essential commodities run out and prices soar to record levels. Furthermore, citizens wishing to leave Kadugli for safer areas face immense difficulty in moving.
Suffering and Transit Fees
In this context, Hamid Saadallah, a resident of Kadugli, explained that “the SPLM-N is imposing fees on people fleeing Kadugli in exchange for allowing them to pass through areas under its control.”
Speaking to Mashaweer platform, he noted that “these forces are forcing displaced persons to pay transit fees reaching 100,000 Sudanese pounds (approximately $30). Meanwhile, they refuse passage to those who have exhausted their financial savings, even turning back children and the elderly.”
Saadallah pointed out that “these fees are taken just to allow passage through SPLM-controlled areas, and they are imposed amidst extremely difficult humanitarian conditions. This has made leaving Kadugli an arduous and financially exhausting journey that exceeds the capabilities of most families.”
He added, “In light of these catastrophic conditions, these forces have prevented a large number of displaced persons from leaving their controlled areas toward South Sudan or areas controlled by the Sudanese Army without providing clear reasons.”
Continuous Displacement
Furthermore, the UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM) stated that “more than 3,000 people have fled the city of Kadugli, while the remaining population suffers from famine.”
In the Abu Jubayhah area of South Kordofan, fires consumed 45 shelters for displaced persons. According to “Mercy Corps,” one of the few relief organizations operating in Kordofan, the main roads are unsafe, forcing families to “undertake long, dangerous journeys and sleep wherever they can.”
The interim country director for the organization, Maggie Barack, says: “Journeys that previously took four hours are now forcing people to walk for 15 to 30 days through isolated areas and lands filled with mines.”
Meanwhile, civil organizations have announced the displacement of more than 800,000 citizens from cities across South Kordofan as a result of escalating fighting and frequent artillery and drone shelling on Kadugli and Dilling, the state’s second-largest city.
Demands to Leave
In a related development, the Alliance of Nuba Mountains Civil Forces stated that “statistics document the displacement of approximately 825,000 people from South Kordofan, most of them from Kadugli and Dilling, which are subjected to continuous siege and shelling.”
The statement added that “more than 583,000 displaced persons have sought refuge in areas controlled by the SPLM-N, amidst an almost total absence of humanitarian services.”
On the same front, the General Nuba Mountains Council stated that “the safety of civilians and the protection of their lives represent a top priority, at a time when all indicators point to the outbreak of large-scale military confrontations in South Kordofan State in the coming days.”
In a statement, the Council urged Nuba Mountains citizens of all age groups—women, children, and the elderly—to leave areas of tension and armed conflict and head toward safer regions, including those outside the circles of military confrontation.
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