Arnu Ngutulu Lodi, spokesman of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North, said 2,600 residents of Toma and Abu al Hasan, locality of Rashad, fled on Thursday after the Sudanese military and militia plundered and looted their villages.

He said the villagers did not return to their villages yet and remain to seek shelter and food in the surroundings of Aljebalat.

According to the spokesman of SPLM-North the government forces and militia looted crops (such as corn and wheat) and around 400 cattle. The forces loaded the stolen crops and cattle in trucks before burning down the villages.

The Sudanese military spokesman could not be reached for comments by Radio Tamazuj.

The report from Rashad comes a day after the Sudanese Minister of Social Welfare and Security, Amira Al-Fadil, said Sudan will distribute food and other basic services to refugees from South Kordofan and Blue Nile states. The basic services and an additional 5000 Sudanese pound will be distributed through the Sudanese Humanitarian Aid Commission and the Sudanese Red Crescent.