SUMMARY

SPLM/A – AH (Sudan People’s Liberation Army – Abdel-Aziz al-Hilu) was a faction of the Sudanese rebel group SPLM/A that attempted to defect in 1993 due to their discontent with the group, by fleeing from its camp in Nimule, now located in South Sudan. The SPLM/A – AH faction was led by Abdel-Aziz al-Hilu and clashes ensued after other SPLM/A units attempted to apprehend the deserting troops. It was unclear how many attempted to defect and of these, how many successfully escaped or returned to SPLM/A. However, Abdel-Aziz al-Hilu remained part of SPLM/A after the defection attempt and SPLM/A – AH was not active again after 1993.

The SPLM/A structure operated with multiple independent commands to ensure that it had a strong presence across all of Sudan (including present-day South Sudan). Therefore, individual commands could function in their areas of operation with relative independence from each other.

The SPLM/A – AH faction mainly comprised of Nuba tribesmen from the Nuba Mountain Independent Command but also included divisions of tribesmen from other areas, such as the Dinka. In 1993, the Nuba Mountain Independent Command was deployed to Nimule, the southern-most part of then Sudan (now in the most southern part of South Sudan) to undertake SPLM/A operations in Eastern Equatoria and Upper Nile in now South Sudan. Structural factors motivated the discontent of the SPLM/A – AH such as the high levels of violence used by the SPLM/A, including in the Nuba Mountains area. However, the proximate trigger for the SPLM/A – AH escape defection was that the troops from the Nuba Mountains felt like they were being forced to fight in areas too far away from their home.

Abdel-Aziz al-Hilu was the leader of SPLM/A – AH. He was a Masalit from the Nuba Mountains, who had been Deputy of the Nuba Mountain Independent Command.