Um Heitan (), or Umm Heitan, is a village in Dalami,

South Kordofan South Kordofan ( ') is one of the 18 States of Sudan, wilayat or states of Sudan. It has an area of 158,355 km2 and an estimated population of approximately 2,107,623 people (2018 est). Kaduqli is the capital of the state. It is centered on t ...

, Sudan, that is from south of

Kadugli Kaduqli or Kadugli ( ' Sudanese pronunciation: ) is the capital city of South Kordofan State, Sudan. It is located south of El-Obeid, at the northern edge of the White Nile plain in the Nuba Mountains. It contains Hilal Stadium. Hist ...

, the state capital. The area is an active war zone.

History

In October 2012 and during the

Sudanese conflict in South Kordofan and Blue Nile The Sudanese conflict in South Kordofan and Blue Nile was an armed conflict and insurgency in the Sudanese states of South Kordofan and Blue Nile (state), Blue Nile (known as the Two Areas) between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Sudan Pe ...

, the

Sudan People's Liberation Movement–North The Sudan People's Liberation Movement–North (), or SPLM–N, is a political party and militant organisation in the Republic of the Sudan, based in the states of Blue Nile and South Kordofan. The group's armed forces are formally known as the S ...

defeated the

Sudanese Armed Forces The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF; ) are the military forces of the Republic of the Sudan. The force strength has been estimated at personnel in 2011 (by IISS), 200,000 personnel before the current war in Sudan broke out in 2023 (by the CIA), and ...

(SAF) in Umm Hitan. The battles, which lasted several days, resulted in the complete destruction of the National Congress Party's headquarters in the village and the expulsion of army forces from the region. The fight led to over 50 fatalities and numerous injuries. Several vehicles and weapons were destroyed or seized. Similar attacks were carried out throughout the conflict with the area being captured momentarily by both sides before being recaptured, with the SAF responding with indiscriminate airstrikes. At the end of the conflict the area was controlled by the SAF. In October 2021, a series of violent attacks by armed individuals on villages in South Kordofan,

West Darfur West Darfur State ( Wilāyat Ḡarb Dārfūr), historically Dar Masalit (), is one of the states of Sudan, and one of five comprising the Darfur region. Prior to the creation of two new states in January 2012, it had an area of 79,460 km² ...

, and

South Darfur South Darfur State ( Wilāyat Ǧanūb Dārfūr; Janob Darfor) is one of the States of Sudan, wilayat or states of Sudan. It is one of the five states that compose the Darfur, region of Darfur in western Sudan. Overview Prior to the creation of t ...

, including Un Heitan, resulted in seven fatalities, including two children, and injuries to at least five others. The attackers fled the scene immediately after the incident. In response, the local residents formed a group to pursue the attackers, resulting in the retrieval of nine cows. Prior to this, the area had experienced the theft of 29 cows. Similar attack happened in January 2024, leaving 6 dead. During the on-going Sudanese war that started on 15 April 2023, the

(SPLM-N) led by

Abdelaziz al-Hilu Abdelaziz Adam al-Hilu (; born 7 July 1954) is a Sudanese politician and the current leader of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (al-Hilu). Biography Al-Hilu was born in Al-Faydh Umm Abdullah, South Kordofan. He is considered one of t ...

(SPLM-N El Hilu) has reportedly attacked the

' (SAF) garrisons in Um Heitan. The SPLM-N El Hilu took control of the garrison and the area since July.

Demography

Um Heitan is known for its ethnic group who speak Koalib, a Niger–Congo language. The population of this group,

Umm Heitan people Umm () means ''mother'' in Arabic. It is a common Arabic feminine given name and generic prefix for Semitic place names. It may refer to: Places Bahrain *Ain Umm Sujoor, an archaeological site *Umm an Nasan, an island * Umm as Sabaan, an islet Eg ...

, is likely around 22,000 and they are predominantly Muslim.

References

Villages in Sudan Populated places in South Kordofan {{Sudan-geo-stub