Sudanese army says it captured 3 areas in Blue Nile state

The Sudanese army announced Tuesday that it had taken control of three areas in the southeastern state of Blue Nile following clashes with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and its ally, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N).

In a statement, the army said its forces had “cleansed” the areas of Ab Dagla, Adi Washambo and Um Shanqir from RSF fighters and their SPLM-N allies.

The military added that its troops seized several combat vehicles in good condition and pursued withdrawing forces up to the borders with Ethiopia and South Sudan.

There was no immediate comment from the RSF or SPLM-N on the army’s statement.

On Sunday, the Sudanese army announced that it had taken control of the Al-Baraka area on the outskirts of Kurmuk city in Blue Nile state after inflicting what it described as “heavy losses” on RSF fighters.

Last week, the army also said it captured the areas of Karan Karan and Dokan in Blue Nile.

Blue Nile state has witnessed escalating clashes in recent months between the Sudanese army, the RSF and SPLM-N forces, displacing thousands of civilians from several towns and areas.

The army controls large parts of Blue Nile state, while the SPLM-N has been fighting the government since 2011, seeking self-rule in the states of South Kordofan and Blue Nile.

Since April 2023, the RSF and the Sudanese army have been engaged in conflict over disagreements regarding the integration of the paramilitary force into the military, triggering one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

The conflict has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced around 13 million others, according to international and local estimates.

*Writing by Sahin Demir