Voice of Peace
More than 2,500 people have been forcibly displaced from the village of Umdolib in the eastern Nuba Mountains region following a violent incursion by suspected elements of the Sudanese armed forces, according to local sources and eyewitness accounts.
The attack, which occurred earlier this week, has left the once-stable agricultural community in disarray. Fleeing residents described scenes of chaos and violence, including the burning of homes, looting, and what some allege to be targeted killings of civilians.
The majority of those displaced have sought refuge in the nearby village of Timbere, located on the outskirts of Heiban County.
Adama Hamad Hassan, a mother of four who arrived in Timbere after spending several days hiding in the bush, recounted the harrowing experience:
“We woke up to gunfire. People were screaming. I saw homes on fire and neighbors being shot. I ran with my children, and we survived by eating leaves and drinking rainwater,” she said. “Even now, the situation is not safe. The army is still around, and people are afraid to go back.”
The attack marks a disturbing escalation in violence in a region that had remained relatively peaceful since the broader Sudanese conflict reignited in Khartoum two years ago.
Umdolib, a farming hub known for its ethnic diversity and intercommunal harmony, had become a quiet refuge for many fleeing other conflict-affected areas.
Local aid workers warn that the sudden influx of displaced families into Timbere, a small village with limited resources, could trigger a humanitarian crisis.
“We are seeing signs of acute food shortages, lack of shelter, and limited access to clean water and healthcare,” said a community volunteer coordinating relief effort. “Most of the displaced arrived with nothing but the clothes on their backs.”
While no official statement has been issued by the Sudanese military regarding the incident, regional leaders are calling for an independent investigation and urgent international intervention to prevent further atrocities.
The ongoing instability in Sudan, marked by sporadic clashes between rival military factions and deepening ethnic divisions, has displaced millions and pushed the country toward a worsening humanitarian disaster.
The situation in Umdolib is the latest reminder of the conflict’s growing reach into once-peaceful rural areas.