At least 150 killed in two days of fighting in Sudan's south: medics

At least 150 people have been killed in two days of fighting in the latest ethnic clashes triggered by land disputes in Sudan's southern Blue Nile state, a medic said Thursday.

The fighting is some of the worst in recent months.

Clashes in Sudan's troubled Blue Nile state broke out last week after reported arguments over land between members of the Hausa people and rival groups.

The fighting has centered around the Wad al-Mahi area near Roseires, some 500 kilometres (310 miles) south of the capital Khartoum.

"A total 150 people including women, children, and elderly were killed between Wednesday and Thursday," said Abbas Moussa, head of Wad al-Mahi hospital. "Around 86 people were also wounded in the violence."

On Wednesday, residents in the area reported intense gunfire and houses set on fire.

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Last week, clashes in the same area sparked by "a dispute over land issues" left at least 13 people dead and 24 injured, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

Authorities have since imposed an overnight curfew to contain the violence.

Fighting between the Hausa people and other groups first broke out in July, with some 149 dead and 124 wounded recorded up until early October, according to a toll reported by OCHA.

Some 65,000 people have been forced to flee their homes, the UN said.

The July clashes erupted after Hausa members requested the creation of a "civil authority", that rival groups saw as a means of gaining access to land.

The clashes also triggered angry protests across Sudan, with the Hausa people demanding justice for those killed.

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By late July, senior leaders agreed to cease hostilities. Despite the deal, clashes broke out again in September.

Sudan is grappling with deepening political unrest and a spiralling economic crisis since last year's military coup, led by army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.

The military power grab upended a transition to civilian rule launched after the 2019 ouster of strongman Omar al-Bashir, who ruled for three decades.

Source: AFP