The violence erupted
like lava from a volcano when members of the Reserve Forces, a tribal militia, tried to commandeer a customs police vehicle, according to the militia's commander.Reserve Forces commander Hamad al-Safi Hamad said they were acting on orders from a state security committee to use all government vehicles for the war effort against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
But police intervened, demanding the vehicle's return. This led to a shootout at the Reserve Forces headquarters that killed two militia leaders and a police officer, Hamad said in a voice recording.
The Reserve Forces are mainly drawn from the Hamar tribe and have been fighting alongside the army against the RSF in West Kordofan.
Hamad accused members of the security forces of trying to ''spread chaos'' in En Nuhud, which has become the state's temporary capital since the army lost control of Babanusa.
The RSF controls most of West Kordofan, but En Nuhud and the army's main headquarters in Babanusa remain under army control.