South Kordofan rebels repulse military attack

In ongoing clashes in the Nuba Mountains, rebels of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North claim to have repulsed an attack by a Sudanese military convoy near Heiban on Saturday morning.

The soldiers attacked Guru, east of Heiban, were the SPLM-N managed to chase them back to El Azrag. Military spokesman for the rebels, Arnu Ngutulu Lodi, stated that they attempt to dislodge the Sudanese army from El Azrag.

The same day an Antonov of the Sudanese Air Force bombed Uru, southeast of Heiban, with ten barrel bombs. Lodi reported that there were no casualties, but the bombardments caused panic among residents. On Wednesday the Air Force bombed Kauda in Heiban locality, heavily damaging a primary school and wounding one teacher.

Heiban locality has been targeted repeatedly in recent weeks. A baby died in a raid on the area on Monday, and six other people were wounded. In a raid on Heiban on 1 May, six children perished. The Sudan Troika, the United States of America, the United Kingdom, and Norway are “appalled” by the civilian deaths, they stated last week.

On Sunday, the Sudanese Embassy criticised the statement by the Troika, calling it 'biased' in a statement released in Washington. According to Sudan Tribune the Embassy stated it is “a repetition of negative positions that do not help to bring peace to the people of South Kordofan and Blue Nile”.

“Despite their support to the Roadmap Agreement, signed by the Sudanese government alone in Addis Ababa last March, the Troika countries do not make a strong move to push these movements to sign the roadmap,” the Embassy added.