The Sudanese army said Monday evening that it had repelled attacks by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the allied SPLM-N in the southeastern Blue Nile region, inflicting “heavy losses in personnel and equipment.”
In a statement, the army’s 4th Infantry Division said its troops and supporting forces prevented the attackers from breaching their positions in Bakori, in Geissan locality, and Sali, in Kurmuk locality.
The statement provided no casualty figures or details of equipment destroyed.
Maj. Gen. Ismail al-Tayeb Hussein, commander of the division, said his troops and supporting forces would continue protecting areas of Blue Nile and conducting military operations against the RSF and its allies.
Escalation in fighting
The clashes come amid an escalation in fighting in Blue Nile in recent weeks, with repeated attacks by the paramilitary RSF and SPLM-North on several areas.
On October 22, Sudanese authorities announced that the army had recaptured the strategic Bakori area following battles with the two groups.
Bakori lies about 70 kilometers (43 miles) southeast of Damazin, the regional capital, and houses a military base belonging to the 13th Infantry Brigade of the army’s 4th Infantry Division.
Sali lies south of Damazin, about 25 kilometers (16 miles) north of Kurmuk, near the Ethiopian border. Government forces said they repelled several attacks there during October.
Blue Nile holds military and geographical significance because of its borders with Ethiopia and South Sudan.
Sudan has been engulfed in war between the army and the paramilitary RSF since April 2023, deepening a humanitarian crisis that has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions.
