A recent surge of violence in Sudan’s Nuba Mountains has intensified the country’s ongoing civil war, shifting the focus of the conflict and raising serious concerns about civilian safety. On 30 November 2025, a drone strike carried out by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) hit the village of Kumo, a non‑combat area, killing dozens of people, including children and students. The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement‑North (SPLM‑N) reported that at least 48 civilians were killed and eight others were critically injured. The SPLM‑N, which has been fighting successive Sudanese governments since 1983, accused the army of deliberately targeting civilians. Independent sources confirmed that a second strike struck the area minutes after the first, killing civilians who had rushed to help the initial victims.
Humanitarian actors in the region have expressed deep alarm over the attack. Anthony Jamal, food‑security coordinator at the Sudan Relief and Rehabilitation Agency, called it “the worst deliberate killing of civilians” he has encountered. Johannes Plate, CEO of the South Kordofan Blue Nile Coordination Unit, emphasized the precision of the strike, suggesting that the perpetrators knew large numbers of civilians were present. The use of drones has heightened fear among local populations, who have traditionally relied on foxholes and trenches for protection against aerial bombardment; drones, however, are almost inaudible until it is too late for civilians to seek shelter.
The Sudanese Armed Forces have not commented on the incident, while local media reports indicate that the army has recently targeted SPLM‑N training sites and supply facilities. Sudan has been embroiled in civil war since April 2023, with fighting between Gen. Abdel Fattah al‑Burhan and his former deputy, Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo. The conflict has displaced 14 million people and is estimated to have caused up to 400 000 deaths, making it the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. Famine has been confirmed in Kadugli, the capital of South Kordofan, and clashes between the SAF and SPLM‑N have intensified.
The Kordofan region, home to Sudan’s main oil fields, has become a strategic buffer zone between Darfur and eastern Sudan. The army’s aim to secure control of this oil‑producing area has led to increased violence, while the SPLM‑N fights to protect the region. As the conflict escalates, concerns over civilian safety and the continued use of drones in the area remain pressing issues.
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