An armed group in western Kordofan announced to Radio Tamazuj its split from the Sudanese rebel group the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM).

The latter group had shifted more of its operations from Darfur to Kordofan since the rebellion broke out there in June 2011, recruiting from both Misseriya and Nuba communities.

Led by Fadlullah Issa, the new group has given itself the name ‘Justice and Equality Movement Joint Command’.

A member of the new movement calling himself Colonel Adam Jamal Ahmad attributed their split from JEM to the ‘loss of the institutional movement’ as well as marginalization of people of eastern Darfur and Kordofan within the movement.

JEM lost its leader Khalil Ibrahim in a bombing in North Kordofan in December 2011. Since his death a few divisions have occurred, most notably in August when Khalil’s brother and successor Jibril Ibrahim attempted to remove the commander nicknamed ‘Dabajo,’ who was based in Dar Zaghawa in the far north-west of Darfur.

Other JEM leaders have not yet been reached for comment on this development.