Sudanese army says RSF drone attacks hit residential areas in Blue Nile state

The Sudanese army said Tuesday that drone attacks by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) targeted residential areas and civilian facilities in Damazin, the capital of southeastern Blue Nile state, in southeastern Sudan.

The army’s 4th Infantry Division said in a statement that its commander, Maj. Gen. Ismail al-Tayeb Hussein, inspected damage caused to civilian facilities and sites by the drone attacks.

It said the RSF targeted populated areas, while Hussein said the army was reinforcing measures to protect civilians and vital facilities in the city.

There was no immediate comment from the paramilitary group on the statement.

Military sources earlier told Anadolu that the army’s air defenses intercepted RSF drones targeting Damazin on Monday evening for a second consecutive day.

The latest attacks came two days after the army said it downed an RSF drone that had entered Blue Nile state from the direction of the Ethiopian border.

The army has also recently announced the capture of the strategic Jabal Kadam area in Blue Nile and said it repelled an attack by the RSF and its ally, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N).

Blue Nile borders Ethiopia and South Sudan and includes important routes for the movement of forces and supplies.

​​​​​​​The army and RSF have been fighting since April 2023 over disagreements concerning the integration of the paramilitary force. The conflict has killed tens of thousands and displaced around 13 million people, according to UN and international estimates.