HUDO: South Kordofan bombing death toll rises to 70 – mostly women and girls

The Sudanese Human Rights and Development Organisation (HUDO Centre) has accused the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North under the leadership of Abdelaziz El Hilu (SPLM-N El Hilu), of bombarding the South Kordofan capital Kadugli in on February 3, in response to an SAF attack.

As previously reported by Radio Dabanga, the SPLM El-Hilu fiercely denied the allegations at the time, and in turn condemned the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) for attacking their sites. At least 44 people died, and 28 others injured, according to the figures received by Radio Dabanga, in an artillery bombardment on the city of Kadugli in South Kordofan in early February. The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) say that they repelled artillery shelling launched by the (SPLM-N El Hilu).

In its latest report, HUDO Centre laments that health services have collapsed in Kadugli, which resulted in more deaths than necessary.

HUDO says that in the early morning, the SAF in Kadugli attacked SPLA-N El Hilu positions at Jebel Hajar Almac, which they have used as a military post since soon after the start of the war on April 15,2023.

“After pushing the SPLM-N soldiers away from their military post and replacing it with SAF soldiers, SAF soldiers moved down from the hill (around 10:00 AM) with their dead and injured soldiers. As they marched towards the hospital, many people (mostly children) marched with them in celebrating manner. Suddenly, SPLA-N made a counter attack by artillery shelling (bombardment),” HUDO says.

One of the bombs/ missiles landed on the marching group of people at a point near Kadugli church. As a result, forty-four (44) people died immediately and other forty-eight (48) were severely injured. All of these people were civilians (some were marching and others were not).

Another bomb fell on the 55th Military Brigade and there were no casualties.

Another bomb dropped at Umbatah neighbourhood (close to the 55th Military Brigade), killed one girl and injured two other girls.

One bomb hit an empty house at El Souk neighbourhood causing damages with no human casualty.

By February 4, the death toll increased to fifty-four, HUDO says. “This is partly due to lack of life saving drugs, blood supplies, Oxygen, anaesthesia and pain killers at Kadugli hospital. This led some of the injured dying from neurogenic shock.”

HUDO says that there are currently 14 injured patients at the hospital, below 20 years of age, with upper and lower limb fractures. The death toll is currently assessed at 70.

HUDO says that 60 of the dead are females, 51 were under 18, while five were younger than five.

The general collapse of the health system in Kadugli exaggerated the health negative impacts. For instance, for more than five months, the dialysis unit closed down and as a result, more than five patients died. These were patients of renal failure who used to be served by the closed unit and they don’t have enough resources to travel out of the town since the cost is high due to the siege of Kadugli city by SPLM-N. The siege forced the travelers to use long and expensive routes.

Radio Dabanga has approached both the SAF and SPLM-N El Hilu independently for comment. In the past, all belligerents, with the exception of official statements, have been reticent to respond to questions from Radio Dabanga regarding ongoing military operations.