The U.N. human rights office today reported that “extremely worrying” attacks on civilians and indiscriminant shelling are taking place in Southern Kordofan. Civilian deaths and injuries in the towns of Talodi and Um Durein have been confirmed while house-to-house searches near Kadugli, and attacks on both displaced people seeking refuge and civilians returning home for provisions have been reported. The U.N. also reported that “fighting forces” have erected roadblocks that are preventing medical and humanitarian access and called on all parties to the conflict to allow safe passage to civilians.
The spokesperson elaborated in the press briefing:
To give one example of the types of reports we have been receiving, a 25-year-old man from the Hagar Alnar neighbourhood told human rights officers that he and his eight siblings decided to revisit their home on Wednesday (8 June) morning to retrieve food and other items, but they were confronted by police forces who shot and killed two of his brothers. The fate of the other six is unknown. Eyewitnesses confirmed the incident.
The latest estimates suggest that 30,000 and 40,000 people have fled Kadugli, the capital of Southern Kordofan. The city is reportedly under SAF control, according to OCHA, with “heavily armed” SAF checkpoints inside and around the city as well as widespread looting of property, including those belonging to the U.N. and NGOs.