An aid group working in the embattled South Kordofan region says that 26,000 people have beeen displaced by ground attacks this month and many houses and properties have been burnt or looted.

According to the latest reprot from the South Kordofan and Blue Nile Coordination Unit, covering the period 1-15 May 2015, about 20,000 fled from ground attacks in Buram / Thobo County and another 6,700 people from a ground attack directed toward the prominent Al Hadra market in Dalami County.

The aid group noted that Al Hadra “provides important access to essential materials, food and supplies to communities over a large part of the central region of the Nuba Mountains. Many houses have been burnt and looted with losses of all personal properties, including food stores, of the affected people.”

Additionally, the report says that indiscriminate shelling and aerial bombardment from SAF positions into civilian locations in SPLM–N controlled areas continued, often in conjunction with ground attacks by the Sudan Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

“Most of the aerial attacks were in front line locations and did not result in civilian casualties, although more than 40 homes were burnt / destroyed. In the Western Jebels, shelling resulted in little direct damage but the civilian populations ceased their agricultural activities (field preparations) in order to stay near to their homes and closer to protection in the hills and caves.”

Meanwhile, Nuba Reports website stated that SAF and the paramilitary RSF have been massing around Tolodi, Ganazyia and the government stronghold Kadugli, South Kordofan’s capital.

Nuba Reports referred to a combined RSF-SAF attack on three villages in Buram County on 10 May. “Surveying the area after the attacks, a Nuba Reports journalist counted three civilians dead and 36 destroyed houses. The same day they also attacked Hadra, a village near Delami, a strategic town on the border of rebel held territory.”

“Six civilians were killed and the town was partially destroyed. SPLA-N pushed the forces out of both towns,” Nuba Reports stated.

File photo: SPLA-N soldiers in South Kordofan (Credit: Giovanni Diffidenti)