‘Sudan’s Nuba Mountains bombed, shelled’

On Thursday last week a number of farms were destroyed in air raids on villages in Um Dorain locality in the Nuba Mountains of Sudan’s South Kordofan state, the SPLM-N reported. The next day, Um Serdiba and El Nogra villages were shelled from Kadugli, the capital of South Kordofan.

The Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) reported in a press statement today that an Antonov fighter jet of the Sudanese Air Force bombed the area near El Labo and Telabo villages in Um Dorain locality on the first day of the Eid El Adha (Muslim Feast of the Sacrifice).

The ten bombs destroyed many farms, the statement reads.

The next day, two people were injured when a government artillery unit in Kadugli launched 20 missiles at Um Serdiba and El Nogra villages.

On Tuesday, Um Serdiba was shelled again from Kadugli, this time with 15 missiles.

Ceasefire

The spokesman for the SPLM-N, Arnu Ngutulu Lodi, strongly condemned the continued attacks on civilian targets, regardless of the ceasefire” announced by President Omar Al Bashir more than a week ago.

He added that “we are closely monitoring their assembled forces and militias” in Delling in the north, Kadugli, and Abu Jubaiha in the east. He predicted that they will start ground attacks against civilians in the areas soon, as the harvest is approaching.

Lodi commented that “the so-called ceasefire is sheer propaganda meant to cover preparations for an offensive”.

President Al Bashir announced his readiness for a unilateral ceasefire for South Kordofan, the Blue Nile, and Darfur in August, to create a climate conducive for the armed movements to participate in the National Dialogue.

On 22 September, he issued a decree declaring a general amnesty for all Sudanese rebel groups that attend the dialogue. He also issued a decree ordering a two-month ceasefire in the country, without mentioning when the ceasefire would come into effect.