Skip to main content
KADUGLI - 12 Apr 2012

Shelling near Kadugli as many residents flee northward

Sounds of heavy guns could be heard near Kadugli at around 11:00 Wednesday night. The sound of small arms in the vicinity of Kadugli is not unusual but the heavy firing last night sparked alarm among citizens already fearful of war reports from Heglig.

Kadugli, the state capital of South Kordofan, is located north-east of Heglig and Kharasana where clashes broke out in recent days. Parts of the hilly surroundings of the town are controlled by the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (North).   

People are scared and there are military preparations within the state, said a woman in Kadugli speaking to Radio Tamazuj.

“There is movement of forces… movement of forces inside the city. Shells are being fired at night,” she said.

Petrol sales ended in Kadugli today. Many residents are going to Khartoum amid concerns of days-long waits for bus tickets and rising fuel prices.

Last night two shells fired by Sudan Armed Forces accidentally landed within the town, causing no casualties. Both shells landed in Al Sama’ neighborhood. One landed on a latrine but did not explode and another fell in an empty space and exploded, according to someone who witnessed the damage. A SAF commander reportedly apologized for the incident.

Casualties are being brought to Kadugli from the front-lines. Four times on Wednesday an ambulance arrived at the military hospital.

Meanwhile, in Bentiu, capital of the neighboring Unity state of South Sudan, the hospital received 22 wounded soldiers on Tuesday but none since that time. A medical doctor there told Radio Tamazuj that he expects more wounded to arrive today from Kharasana.