Army Withdraws From Kurmuk as RSF Seizes Border Town

Sudan's army claims the RSF is pushing forward on a vital border town near Ethiopia. Military and government sources told Al Jazeera that paramilitary forces and their allies are moving into Kurmuk in Blue Nile state. They say the Rapid Support Forces, joined by the Sudan People's Liberation Movement – North, took control of Kurmuk on Thursday. The army began pulling out during this offensive.

An RSF statement declared that their coalition dealt heavy losses to army troops there. They forced a withdrawal and seized weapons and ammunition. Hours later, local officials in Kurmuk said the town faced intensive attacks over the last three days. These strikes involved drones and artillery shelling coming from "the regional neighbourhood." Local administration insisted the Sudanese army stood its ground with steadfastness to protect residents and public institutions.

Kurmuk sits on an important cross-border route linking Ethiopia with Blue Nile and the wider Nile Valley. Almigdad Alruhaid, reporting for Al Jazeera from Khartoum, said the RSF advanced while the army repositioned outside. The group seized this town back in March, though the Sudanese army recaptured it last month. Fighting between the two sides has engulfed the nation since April 2023 over plans to integrate the paramilitary force into the regular military.

The war has killed tens of thousands and displaced nearly 15 million people according to UN figures and local authorities. Elsewhere, the army says it repelled an RSF assault on a major town in North Kordofan. Military sources spoke to Al Jazeera about the attack on Jabra al-Sheikh using heavy artillery and drones. They added that RSF fighters were captured and dozens killed in the fight. An army statement noted the attack involved more than 250 combat vehicles.

Jabra al-Sheikh is a key transport hub where control could allow pressure on el-Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan, and Omdurman near Khartoum. These latest attacks follow coordinated drone strikes targeting five army-controlled cities hundreds of kilometres apart. Wednesday's violence killed two people in el-Obeid and paralyzed the city's market. The rights group Emergency Lawyers documents atrocities by both sides.

Across Sudan, aid workers estimate more than 200,000 have died in what the UN calls a "war of atrocities." The conflict has caused the world's largest hunger and displacement crises. Red Cross officials urge international aid as the situation deepens. Women are exposing rape as a weapon of war here. Meanwhile, the ancient Meroe pyramids face threat from the ongoing violence. Information remains limited and privileged, creating a desperate gap for those suffering most.