SPLM-N, RSF Pound South Kordofan Cities with Artillery, Drones

14 December 2025

UNISFA premises in Kaduglei burning after a drone attack on Dec 13, 2025

December 14, 2025 (KADUGLI) – The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) launched intensive artillery and drone strikes on the cities of Kadugli and Dilling on Sunday, causing civilian casualties, local sources said.

The escalation follows a series of recent RSF drone attacks in South Kordofan, including a strike on a hospital in Kalogi that killed dozens and an attack on a United Nations base in Kadugli on Saturday that left six Bangladeshi peacekeepers dead.

Sources told the Sudan Tribune that SPLM-N forces, led by Abdelaziz al-Hilu, shelled Kadugli from positions east of the city early Sunday. Projectiles hit the main market, western neighbourhoods, and the vicinity of the army’s 14th Infantry Division headquarters.

Authorities in Kadugli have tightened security, deploying heavy patrols and arresting activists and traders suspected of collaborating with the attacking forces.

Residents described a city under siege, with the SPLM-N blocking escape routes to the east. Those attempting to flee north toward Dilling and El-Obeid face perilous journeys through RSF-controlled territory, where reports of killing, looting, and detention are common.

The violence has deepened a humanitarian crisis in the state capital. Banks in Kadugli have been shuttered for three weeks, sparking a cash shortage and driving up prices. A blockade on supply routes by both the SPLM-N and RSF has severed access to food and medicine, exacerbating hunger after the SPLM-N seized the critical “Um Adara” area in June.

Drones target Dilling

In Dilling, the state’s second-largest city, drone strikes attributed to the RSF hit the military hospital, the 54th Brigade command, and civilian areas near the market.

In response, local authorities banned military personnel from markets, prohibited gunfire in residential areas, and restricted internet access. Satellite internet cafes were closed to prevent intelligence leaks, with only one monitored centre remaining open for financial transactions.

The air raids coincide with a buildup of RSF troops in the nearby areas of Dibebat, Al-Hammadi, and Habila, which military sources say signals an imminent ground offensive on the city.