Creation The SPLM–N was founded by the organizations of the predominantly South Sudanese
Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army that remained in Sudan following the
South Sudanese vote for independence in 2011. Despite the
Comprehensive Peace Agreement, a low-level conflict continued in
Republic of Sudan. Conflict with the central authorities led President
Omar al-Bashir to ban the party. South Sudan is also said to support SPLA-N operations in Sudan, just as Sudan supports anti-government groups in South Sudan.
2011 resumption of conflict South Kordofan On 19 July 2011, shortly after the independence of South Sudan/ Nuba Mountains the SPLM–N in
South Kordofan and the
Justice and Equality Movement of
Darfur conducted a coordinated attack against the
Sudanese army at Pisea, south of the state capital of
Kadugli. In August, Radio Dabanga reported that the rebels were gaining ground against government forces. The conflict has led to the displacement of nearly 400,000 residents of the
Nuba Mountains and surrounding areas.
Blue Nile Disputes over the rightful government of
Blue Nile State led to a resumption of violence in late August/early September 2011. In September and October the SPLA-N formed a government based in
Kurmuk, which took control of large parts of the state. The conflict in the Blue Nile has raised fears of a new refugee crisis and a return to civil war. In September 2012,
Amnesty International reported that SPLM–N teacher and activist
Jalila Khamis Koko was summoned by a prosecutor for six charges, primarily relating to state security. The organization stated that she appeared to be "held solely for her humanitarian work and for the peaceful expression of her views", and designated her a
prisoner of conscience. She was released after a court hearing on 20 January 2013.
2017 split In mid-2017, the SPLM–N split between a faction led by
Abdelaziz al-Hilu and one led by
Malik Agar. Fighting between the two factions in the Blue Nile included the killing of an SPLM–N (Agar) army major by the SPLM–N (al-Hilu). SPLM–N (Agar) secretary-general Ismail Khamis Jallab claimed that SPLM–N (al-Hilu) had refused mediation efforts.
Sudanese peace process The
August 2019 Draft Constitutional Declaration, signed by military and civilian representatives during the
2018–19 Sudanese Revolution, requires that a peace agreement for resolving the
War in Darfur and the
Sudanese conflict in South Kordofan and Blue Nile be made within the first six months of the 39-month transition period to democratic civilian government. constituting a framework agreement, were signed by the Sovereignty Council and Ahmed El Omda Badi on behalf of SPLM–N (Agar). The agreements give legislative autonomy to South Kordofan and Blue Nile; propose solutions for the sharing of land and other resources; and aim to unify all militias and government soldiers into a single unified Sudanese military body. and both factions agreed to participate in the
transition to democracy in Sudan through peaceful means. Under the terms of the agreement, the factions that signed would be entitled to three seats on the
sovereignty council, a total of five ministers in the
transitional cabinet and a quarter of seats in the
transitional legislature. At a regional level, signatories would be entitled to between 30 and 40% of the seats on transitional legislatures of their home states or regions.
Sudanese civil war (2023–present) During the
Sudanese civil war, Malik Agar was appointed as deputy head of the
Transitional Sovereignty Council on 19 May by de facto leader
Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. He replaced General
Muhammad "Hemedti" Dagalo, who launched the conflict in April as leader of the paramilitary
Rapid Support Forces (RSF). On 8 June, the SPLM–N (al-Hilu) began mobilizing around Kadugli, moving into several army camps and prompting the SAF to reinforce its positions despite an RSF blockade. This prompted fears of a new front in the conflict despite the group regularly agreeing to annual ceasefire agreements. On 21 June, the SPLM–N (al-Hilu) broke its ceasefire agreement and attacked Sudanese army units in South Kordofan, particularly in Kadugli and in
al-Dalanj, the latter coinciding with an attack by the RSF. The army claimed to have repelled the attacks, while the rebels claimed to have attacked in retaliation for the death of one of their soldiers at the hands of the SAF and vowed to free the region from "military occupation." On 25 June, the group attacked SAF positions in
Kurmuk,
Blue Nile State, near the border with Ethiopia. the SPLM–N (al-Hilu) seized several army garrisons and an oil field in South Kordofan and blocked the road leading from
Karkal to Kadugli. It also launched another attack in Kurmuk. Speculation arose as to whether al-Hilu's attacks were part of an unofficial alliance between him and the RSF or an attempt to strengthen his position in future negotiations concerning his group.
State within a state, 2024 In June 2024 Nicholas Casey of
The New York Times was allowed in the Nuba Mountains stronghold of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North led by Abdelaziz al-Hilu (SPLM–N (al-Hilu)). Casey reported that the civil war between the SAF and RSF had distracted the SAF from attacking the SPLM–N (al-Hilu) and allowed the SPLM–N to go on the offensive, capturing territory "at a steady pace". It had cut off supplies to
Kadugli, the capital city of
South Kordofan State, and was planning to "liberate" it along with what it believes to be substantial stores of military materiel of tanks, armored personnel carriers and ammunition in the city to help the SPLM–N take more territory. The group has approximately 20,000 fighters in the Nuba Mountains. It calls the territory it controls "New Sudan". Its capital is
Kauda, a farming town, where the rebel government issues driver's licenses and birth certificates, and has a court system made up of volunteer judges, "deciding everything from dowry disputes to murder cases", and schools teaching in English. Concerns of the group are hundreds of thousands of displaced people pouring in to its territory from other parts of Sudan, a devastating drought, famine, that have led to the eating of leaves from bushes, and in some cases starvation and government airstrikes. The SAF also retook the town of
Mabsouta from the SPLM–N (al-Hilu), which had occupied the area since 2011. ==Aims and ideology==