Sudan’s army captures area near Ethiopian border after clashes with paramilitary RSF

The Sudanese army said Sunday that its forces had captured Al-Baraka area on the outskirts of Al-Kurmuk city in the Blue Nile state near the Ethiopian border following clashes with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

In a statement, the army said forces from the 4th Infantry Division and supporting units achieved “new field advances” after carrying out “decisive military operations” in Al-Baraka.

It said army forces “defeated the RSF militia, fully secured the area, and inflicted heavy losses in lives and equipment on the militia and its allies from the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North.”

The army said a number of military vehicles and equipment were destroyed or seized during the operation.

There was no immediate comment from the RSF on the claim.

The Sudanese army controls large parts of the Blue Nile, while the SPLM-N has been fighting the government since 2011, demanding autonomy for the two regions of South Kordofan and Blue Nile.

Sudan has faced one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises since war erupted in April 2023 between the army and the RSF over a dispute about integrating the paramilitary force into the military. The conflict has triggered famine, killed tens of thousands and displaced millions of others.

*Writing by Rania Abushamala in Istanbul.