Sudan's Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied fighters have advanced into the strategically important town of Kurmuk, located on the Sudanese border with Ethiopia. Military and government sources confirmed to Al Jazeera that the RSF and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement – North (SPLM-N) entered Kurmuk in Blue Nile State on Thursday, as the army began to withdraw.
An RSF statement claimed that an RSF-led coalition inflicted heavy losses on army troops in Kurmuk, forcing their withdrawal and seizing weapons and ammunition. Hours later, the local administration in Kurmuk reported intensive attacks over the preceding three days, including drone and artillery shelling originating from "the regional neighbourhood." The administration stated that the Sudanese army continued to defend the town, its residents, and public institutions with "steadfastness and bravery."
Kurmuk is situated on a vital cross-border route connecting Ethiopia with Blue Nile and the broader Nile Valley.
"The RSF advanced into the town with the army withdrawing and repositioning outside," reported Al Jazeera's Almigdad Alruhaid from Khartoum, citing military and government sources. The RSF had previously seized the town in March, but the Sudanese army recaptured it last month.
Sudan has been embroiled in conflict since April 2023, when fighting erupted between the Sudanese army and the RSF over plans to integrate the paramilitary force into the regular military. According to UN figures, local authorities, and academic estimates, the war has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and displaced or forced nearly 15 million people to flee their homes.
North Kordofan attack
Elsewhere, the army reported repelling an RSF attack on Jabra al-Sheikh, a major town in North Kordofan. Military sources told Al Jazeera that the paramilitary group assaulted the town using heavy artillery and drones. The sources added that RSF fighters were captured and dozens were killed during the engagement. An army statement indicated that the RSF attack involved over 250 combat vehicles.
Jabra al-Sheikh serves as a key transport hub in the region. Control of this town could enable the RSF to exert pressure on el-Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan, and Omdurman, near Khartoum.
These recent attacks follow coordinated drone strikes launched by the RSF on Wednesday, targeting five army-controlled cities located hundreds of kilometers apart. The Emergency Lawyers group, which documents atrocities by both sides, reported that Wednesday's attacks in el-Obeid killed two people and paralyzed the city's market.
Aid workers estimate that over 200,000 people have been killed across Sudan in what the UN describes as a "war of atrocities." The conflict has also triggered the world's largest hunger and displacement crises.
