New Sudan (territory)
Territory under the control of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement–North
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
New Sudan (Arabic: السودان الجديد, romanized: al-Sūdān al-Jadīd), also known as the Liberated Areas[12][13] (Arabic: المناطق المحررة, romanized: al-Manāṭiq al-Muḥarrira) refers to the territory in Sudan under the effective control of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement–North (Al-Hilu). In late 2025, the SPLM-N (Al-Hilu) joined the Government of Peace and Unity; however, New Sudan still exists.[14][15][16][17]
New Sudan | |
|---|---|
| 2011–present[a] | |
Flag | |
| Capital | Kauda, Sudan |
| Government | Military law (since 2018)[1][2] |
| Leader | |
• 2011–2017 | Malik Agar |
• 2017 | Disputed between: Malik Agar and Abdelaziz al-Hilu[3][4][5] |
• 2017–present | Abdelaziz al-Hilu |
| Chief of Staff[6] | |
• 2023–present | Izzat Koko Angelo[6] |
| Establishment | Sudanese conflict in South Kordofan and Blue Nile |
| History | |
• Establishment | 2011[7][8][9][10] |
| June 2026–August 2026 | |
| Population | |
• 2024 estimate |
|
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Territorial control
The territory has been controlled by the SPLM-N[18] and later SPLM-N (al-Hilu) since 2011.[7]
In July 2023, the SPLM-N (al-Hilu) seized several army garrisons and an oil field in South Kordofan[19] and blocked the road leading from Karkal to Kadugli. It also launched another attack in Kurmuk.[20]
In June 2024, Nicholas Casey of The New York Times was allowed in the Nuba Mountains stronghold of the SPLM-N (al-Hilu) led by Abdel Aziz al-Hilu. Casey reported that the civil war had distracted the SAF from attacking the SPLM-N (al-Hilu) and allowed the SPLM-N (al-Hilu) to go on the offensive, capturing territory "at a steady pace". It calls the territory it controls "New Sudan"; 2024 was the first time it used the term for the territories it controls. Its capital is Kauda, a farming town.[21] At least 3.9 million people live in the territory under the control of the SPLM-N (al-Hilu).[22]
In February 2025, there were reports about a famine in the territory controlled by the SPLM-N (al-Hilu).[23]
In December 2025, the SPLM–N (al-Hilu) claimed to have retaken the town of Qardoud Nama in South Kordofan from the SAF.[24] The SAF retook the town of Mabsouta from the SPLM–N (al-Hilu), which had occupied the area since 2011.[7]
On the 3 February 2026 both the RSF and SPLM-N (al-Hilu) seized the towns of Deim Mansour, Bashir Nuqu and Khor al-Budi near Kurmuk in Blue Nile state.[25] In the same month, a faction of the SPLM-N (al-Hilu) led by Joseph Toka,[26] was revealed to be active in areas held by both the RSF and the SPLM-N (Al-Hilu).[27]
In June 2026, the Otoro Nuba people rebelled against the SPLM-N (Al-Hilu), and seized New Sudan's capital,[28] Kauda, and expelled its local administration.[29] In August 2026, the SPLM-N (Al-Hilu) regained full control of Kauda, including local administrative offices and public buildings after two days of fighting with the Otoro Nuba people.[30][31]
Government
In 2013, the SPLM-N established a civil authority in areas under its control.[32] As of 2017, Abdelaziz al-Hilu headed the SPLM-N (al-Hilu) faction,[15] which opposed the Sudanese Armed Forces and, as a member of the Sudan Founding Alliance, supported the Rapid Support Forces' attempt to establish a parallel Government of Peace and Unity.[33] Journalist Nicholas Casey described the faction as one of the few rebel groups claiming to advocate for a Western-style democracy, noting that it has a constitution and calls for a secular state in Sudan.[34] The SPLM-N (al-Hilu) also provides public services in areas under its control, including issuing driver's licenses and birth certificates, operating a court system staffed by volunteer judges that handles cases ranging from dowry disputes to murder, and maintaining schools that teach in English.[34][35] The SPLM-N (al-Hilu) also holds on the New Sudan concept.[36]
Similar territory with the name New Sudan
In 1999, the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) also referred to its territory[37][38] as New Sudan, with its territory in what is now South Sudan.[39] In 2006, the term New Sudan still was used for the territory of the SPLM.[40][41]
See also
Notes
- Until 2024, the term New Sudan was not used for the territories under the control of the SPLM-N (Al-Hilu).