The Sudanese rebel group, SPLA-North have claimed that Friday’s shelling of Kadugli town in South Kordofan with heavy artillery was in response to an attack carried out by government forces and militias affiliated to them on SPLA areas occupied by thousands of internally displaced civilians.

The group’s spokesman, Arnu Ngutulu Lodi, confirmed in an interview with Radio Tamazuj that Friday’s attack came in response to a joint attack by the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and militias loyal to the government last Thursday on the Talodi SPLA-N garrison.  A further attack had been made on an SPLA-N position in Roseires near Kadugli, Arnu added.

He called upon Kadugli civilians to evacuate Kadugli town as it could be attacked at any point.

However, Arnu claimed that the group is ready to end violence and reach a political agreement in accordance with UN Security Council resolution 2046, provided that the process is participatory, including all political parties and civil society organisations. 

Continued aggression on the part of the government would prompt a firm response, he claimed, before adding that a political agreement, however, would allow the delivery of much-needed humanitarian aid to the region.

South Kordofan state has suffered under civil war since 2011 when clashes erupted between the SPLA-N and SAF.  Vast swathes of the civilian population have been displaced since then but no international humanitarian aid is allowed to enter the region.

Related: Three people killed in shelling of Kadugli (13 April 2013)