Fighting between Sudan’s army and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-North rebels has reportedly broken out in the Nuba Mountains in recent days.

Sudanese governemnt spokesperson Ahmed Bilal Osman told Radio Tamazuj that his government will fight until peace is achieved in the area.

Ahmed said the SPLA-N rebels do not want peace because they refused to sign on to the recent AU peace roadmap which the government agreed to.

"The refusal to sign the roadmap means you are rejecting the dialogue and peace and ceasefire and opted to war," he said. 

Ahmed noted that the roadmap includes a cessation of hostilities and opening of talks with the armed opposition to join the National Dialogue process.

For his part, the SPLA-N spokesperson Arno Ngutulu Lodi said their forces repelled several attacks by the Sudanese army on Keyga, Buram, Teis, and Mandi areas amid reports that several wounded government soldiers were flown to Khartoum for treatment.

Arno said that their forces further repelled an attack by the Sudanese army heading to Angarto and Mafluo areas in Dalami. 

The rebel spokesperson claimed that they killed 17 government soldiers and captured others, while 16 SPLA-N soldiers sustained injuries during the Mandi clashes.

He said they seized two Land Cruisers and a tank in good condition from the government forces.