The capital of South Kordofan came under attack by artillery of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (North) today leaving dead one woman and a child injured.

Multiple sources in Kadugli told Radio Tamazuj that residents were in a state of fear and panic after shelling hit the town from the east.  The shelling caused the death of a woman working at Yarmuk Primary School, and injury to one child at the school.

The shelling coincided with the launch of the Kadugli Peace Forum, which brought together civil society organizations and political leaders including representatives from Khartoum.

Witnesses said that two shells landed at the Yarmuk Primary school and others landed scattered in other parts of the city including the UNICEF compound. A representative of the UN agency confirmed to Reuters news agency that one or two shells also landed inside their compound but did not explode.

The army spokesman, Col. Al-Sawarmi Khalid, said that rebels fired eight shells from about eight kilometres outside Kadugli. Radio Tamazuj was unable to reach SPLA for comment but the spokesman Arnu Lodi confirmed to Reuters that the rebels were shelling the town.

Panic in the town caused the closure of markets. But the Kadugli Peace Forum has continued uninterrupted in spite of the shelling. Nafi Ali Nafi, at top leader in the national government, arrived this morning in Kadugli to participate but he is said to have left later in the day.