Al-Hilu Forces Withdraw from Around Dilling to Reinforce Kauda

Field reports indicate that forces of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement–North (SPLM-N), led by Abdelaziz Al-Hilu, have begun withdrawing from the vicinity of the city of Dilling, in a move linked to the repositioning of troops inside the movement’s main stronghold in Kauda following recent battlefield developments.

According to the reports, Al-Hilu held an important meeting with several of his military commanders, including Jagod Makwar, Abboud Andraous, Hajar Tiya, and Koko Idris, as well as Blue Nile commanders led by Joseph Toka. The meeting reviewed the current battlefield situation and the implications of the movement’s multi-front deployments.

The meeting acknowledged a wide dispersion of SPLM-N forces between the Darfur and Kordofan regions, which allowed “Otoro” forces to advance and gain control of strategic areas inside Kauda. This situation prompted the leadership to decide on withdrawing part of the forces and redeploying them to the main stronghold to strengthen defensive positions.

The sources added that the leadership agreed to carry out the withdrawal despite reservations expressed by their allied Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which viewed the move as affecting operational coordination between the two sides.