West kordofan: The Sudanese army successfully repelled a fresh attack by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on the city of Babnousa in West Kordofan on Monday. The incursion was thwarted by troops from the army's 22nd Infantry Division, who managed to fend off the RSF fighters despite the use of heavy and light weapons by the attackers, as reported by a military source who wished to remain anonymous.

According to Anadolu Agency, the army reported inflicting 'significant losses in personnel and equipment' on the RSF forces during the confrontation. However, there has been no official comment from either the Sudanese army or the RSF regarding the incident.

The RSF had previously announced on Sunday that its fighters were advancing toward Babnousa with the intent to capture the city, which has been under siege since January 2024. In recent days, the Sudanese army has managed to thwart several RSF attacks on Babnousa, utilizing artillery fire, drones, and armored vehicles, as per local reports.

Additionally, the military has been supplying its troops within the city by air, as Babnousa is now devoid of civilians following the exodus of 177,000 residents, according to local relief committees.

In a broader context, last month saw the RSF seize El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, amid accusations of massacres. The RSF now controls all five Darfur states, while the Sudanese army maintains control over the majority of the remaining 13 states, including Khartoum. Darfur accounts for roughly one-fifth of Sudan's territory, though the majority of the country's 50 million population resides in army-held regions.

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