Armed groups allied with the Sudanese army said on Wednesday that they had recaptured the Orshi Reservoir area in North Darfur state from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) following clashes.

The army-allied Joint Force said in a brief statement that its fighters launched a surprise attack on the Orshi Reservoir area on Wednesday morning, resulting in "full control of the area and the expulsion of the RSF militia."

The group published videos on its official Facebook page showing its forces deployed in the area.

The Orshi Reservoir is considered strategically and humanitarianly important as it serves as a key water source for Ambro locality, where residents face severe water shortages.

Major offensive

The area also lies within an active conflict zone in northwestern North Darfur, making control of the site significant for civilian movement and the delivery of humanitarian aid and supplies.

On June 15, the RSF said that it had seized the reservoir after a major offensive in the area.

At the time, local groups said five civilians were killed in the RSF attack, and eight villages surrounding the reservoir were burned and looted, forcing thousands of residents to flee to neighbouring areas.

Darfur Governor Minni Arko Minnawi has accused the RSF of committing abuses against civilians and called on the international community and humanitarian organisations to act to protect them.

Humanitarian crisis

Sudan has been engulfed in conflict since April 2023, when fighting erupted between the army and RSF over plans to integrate the paramilitary force into the military.

The war has triggered one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, killing tens of thousands and displacing millions of others.