Sudan army says RSF advance on key town bordering Ethiopia

Sudan army says RSF advances into key border town of Kurmuk

Sudanese military and government sources have reported that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and their allies have advanced into the strategically important town of Kurmuk in Blue Nile State, near the border with Ethiopia. The development, which occurred on Thursday, marks a significant shift in the conflict that has engulfed Sudan since April 2023.

Coverage Comparison

The reports, as carried by Al Jazeera, detail that the RSF, alongside the Sudan People's Liberation Movement – North (SPLM-N), entered Kurmuk as the Sudanese army began to withdraw. The local administration in Kurmuk stated that the town faced intensive attacks over three days, involving drones and artillery shelling, which they claim originated from 'the regional neighbourhood.'

The army's acknowledgment of the advance was framed by officials as a tactical repositioning, with Al Jazeera's correspondent in Khartoum, Almigdad Alruhaid, citing military and government sources that the army was 'withdrawing and repositioning outside' the town.

Key Claims

• RSF statement: The RSF claimed its coalition inflicted heavy losses on army troops, forced them to withdraw, and seized weapons and ammunition.
• Local administration: The local governing body in Kurmuk said the attacks, which involved drones and artillery, originated from 'the regional neighbourhood,' though it did not specify further.
• Strategic importance: Kurmuk sits on a key cross-border route linking Ethiopia with Blue Nile and the wider Nile Valley.
• Previous control: The RSF had captured Kurmuk in March but lost it to the Sudanese army last month, only to recapture it now.

Perspectives and Context

The conflict traces its roots to April 2023, when fighting erupted between the Sudanese army and the RSF over plans to integrate the paramilitary force into the regular military. The war has had a catastrophic impact, with UN figures, local authorities, and academic estimates indicating tens of thousands of deaths and nearly 15 million people displaced.

In a separate development in North Kordofan, the Sudanese army repelled an RSF attack on the town of Jabra al-Sheikh, according to military sources. The army reported that its forces captured several RSF fighters and killed dozens more, with the RSF assault said to involve more than 250 combat vehicles, as per an army statement.

Jabra al-Sheikh is a crucial transport hub, and control of the town could allow the RSF to pressure el-Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan, and potentially Omdurman near Khartoum. Meanwhile, in el-Obeid, drone strikes on Wednesday killed two people and disrupted the local market, according to the rights group Emergency Lawyers.

Aid workers estimate that over 200,000 people have been killed in what the United Nations has described as a 'war of atrocities.' The ongoing violence has created the world's largest hunger and displacement crises, according to international observers.

As the situation continues to evolve, the international community watches closely, with the humanitarian toll mounting and hopes for a peaceful resolution growing increasingly elusive.