Khartoum: Sudanese army forces and allied fighters inflicted heavy losses on the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the North Kordofan state, an allied group said Tuesday.

According to Anadolu Agency, the Sudan Shield Forces, an ally of the army, stated that it had executed a 'successful military combat mission' in the Um Sayala area of North Kordofan. This mission was part of a broader strategy 'to eradicate rebellion and completely destroy its capabilities in the North Kordofan axis.' The group asserted that it inflicted significant losses on the RSF in terms of both personnel and equipment, despite the 'large-scale mobilization of the militia, which was supported by drones and heavy artillery.'

The Sudan Shield Forces acknowledged casualties within their ranks, including their commander, Abu Aqla Kikil, who sustained minor injuries. This group, formed in early 2022 in the eastern Al-Jazirah state, boasts an estimated force of more than 35,000 fighters. Kikil initially joined the RSF in August 2023 but later defected to the army.

On Monday, the Sudanese army announced that it had recaptured Um Sayala, situated 200 kilometers north of the provincial capital El-Obeid, after intense clashes with the RSF. Despite this, the rebel group claimed victory over army forces in the same area.

The conflict between the RSF and the Sudanese army has escalated following the RSF's capture of El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, last month. This has led to the spread of fighting to new fronts, particularly in the Kordofan region of central and southern Sudan. The RSF currently controls all five Darfur states, whereas the army holds most of Sudan's remaining 13 states, including Khartoum. Darfur constitutes about one-fifth of Sudan's territory, though the majority of the country's 50 million people reside in areas controlled by the army.

The ongoing conflict in Sudan between the army and the RSF, which erupted in April 2023, has resulted in the deaths of at least 40,000 people and the displacement of 12 million, as reported by the World Health Organization.