Khartoum: The Sudanese army launched airstrikes targeting positions of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and its ally, the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N), in Blue Nile State. Military sources reported that the strikes took place on Thursday.
According to Anadolu Agency, the army carried out drone attacks on RSF and SPLM-N positions in the towns of Yabous and Balila, near the Ethiopian border. The strikes reportedly destroyed military vehicles and supply trucks belonging to the two groups. However, it remains unclear if there were any casualties as a result of the attacks. The towns of Yabous and Balila have been under SPLM-N control since 2011, after the group's rebellion against the Sudanese government. So far, there have been no official comments from the Sudanese army, the RSF, or the SPLM-N regarding the strikes.
In a related incident, witnesses reported that army units conducted wide-scale sweeps west of Omdurman, an area under government control, extending toward the border with North Kordofan. These operations aimed to ensure the absence of RSF elements in the region. Videos shared by army personnel on social media depicted troops patrolling more than 45 kilometers from western al-Muwailih, the last populated area west of Omdurman, toward the boundary of North Kordofan. Soldiers indicated they had reached the state border and were prepared to reassert control over North Kordofan in the near future.
The RSF continues to maintain a presence in Jabra al-Sheikh and Hamrat al-Sheikh in northern North Kordofan, while the army controls the eastern and central parts of the state, including the city of El Obeid, along with several areas in the south and west.
Meanwhile, Sudan's Humanitarian Aid Commission reported that White Nile State is hosting over 1.128 million displaced people. Lamia Ahmad Abdullah, the White Nile State commissioner for humanitarian aid, informed the Sudan News Agency (SUNA) that the majority of displaced individuals are staying with host families throughout the state. Additionally, more than 8,000 displaced people are residing in camps in Qoz al-Salam, Tendalti, and Khor Ajoul.
The commission, in collaboration with local authorities and international organizations, has undertaken humanitarian interventions to provide food, shelter, and medical services. White Nile State, which has not experienced fighting and remains under government control, has recently received a significant influx of displaced individuals fleeing violence in Kordofan and Darfur.
Of Sudan's 18 states, the RSF controls all five in the Darfur region, except for a few northern areas of North Darfur still under army control. The army continues to maintain dominance over most of the remaining 13 states, including the capital city, Khartoum. The ongoing conflict between the army and the RSF has resulted in thousands of casualties and the displacement of millions.