Sudan army says RSF advance on key town bordering Ethiopia

Military and government sources say the paramilitary RSF and allies advance into town of Kurmuk in Blue Nile state.Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces and allies of the paramilitary group have advanced into a strategically important town on the Sudanese border with Ethiopia, military and government sources told Al Jazeera.They said the RSF and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement – North (SPLM-N) entered Kurmuk in Blue Nile State on Thursday, as the army began to withdraw.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Red Cross urges international aid as Sudan crisis deepenslist 2 of 3Women expose rape as a weapon of war in Sudanlist 3 of 3Sudan war threatens ancient Meroe pyramidsend of listAn RSF statement said an RSF-led coalition had inflicted heavy losses on army troops in Kurmuk, forced them to withdraw and seized weapons and ammunition.Hours later, the local administration in Kurmuk said the town had come under intensive attacks over the last three days, involving drones and artillery shelling, which it said originated from “the regional neighbourhood”.The local administration said the Sudanese army continued to confront the attacks “with steadfastness and bravery” in defence of the town, its residents and public institutions.The town is on an important cross-border route linking Ethiopia with Blue Nile and the wider Nile Valley.“The RSF advanced into the town with the army withdrawing and repositioning outside,” Al Jazeera’s Almigdad Alruhaid reported from the Sudanese capital Khartoum, citing military and government sources.The RSF seized the town in March, but the Sudanese army recaptured it last month.Sudan has been engulfed in its latest conflict since April 2023, when fighting started between the Sudanese army and the RSF over plans to integrate the paramilitary force into the regular military.