Many displaced after West Kordofan clashes kill 10, authorities fail to intervene

KADUGLI – April 7, 2023

Displaced people are arriving in Kadugli, the capital of South Kordofan, after attacks in the border area of ​​El Kharasana in West Kordofan last week. At least 10 people died at the hands of armed men in attacks carried out by Misseriya tribesmen aimed at the Nuba Ngolo clan.

El Batri Kualib, Emir of the Emirate of Ngolo, told Radio Dabanga that 81 displaced Nuba families from the Ngolo clan arrived in Kadugli on Wednesday. Most of the newly arrived displaced are women and children.

Kualib said he had received calls about more families who fled El Kharasana that are on their way to Kadugli.

“The displaced people are in urgent need of shelter materials, food, and medicine, as the state government and aid organisations have not intervened so far,” he said.

The Emir warned of the problems that would arise if the authorities do not intervene and arrest the perpetrators and bring them to justice. He also stressed that plenty of information is available “about the identity of perpetrators and the parties to which they belong”.

Attacks

The attacks in El Kharasana took place last Friday after the body of a Misseriya tribesman was found in the area, Deputy Emir Kamal Mahdi told Radio Dabanga.

A group of armed Misseriya then carried out several attacks on fishermen and charcoal workers in the area, killing 10 people, all of whom belong to the Nuba Angola clan.

The discovery of the body led to great tension. Many women and children already fled, whilst Nuba men gathered to confront the attackers.

Mahdi warned of the severity of the situation in the region and pointed to “the absence of clear moves by the security forces to contain the situation”.

Previous conflict

Hostilities between Misseriya tribesmen and Nuba clans also took place in October last year after a dispute over land rights at Gangaro village, about three kilometres east of Lagawa town in West Kordofan. On October 13, Misseriya tribesmen claimed the land, which led to an exchange of gunfire between Misseriya and Nuba in the market in Lagawa itself, which continued through October 14 and 15.

The Misseriya are an Arab nomadic herding tribe with members in Kordofan, Darfur, and Chad, whilst the Nuba are the indigenous inhabitants of the Nuba Mountains. Hostilities over land, especially around grazing and herding paths, are common in the area.

During the civil war under the Al Bashir regime, the Misseriya sided with the government whilst the Nuba sided with the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM). The Nuba faced significant ethnic discrimination and violence in the war.