RSF-SPLM-N joint forces seize strategic Sudanese town near Ethiopian border
March 24, 2026 (KURMUK) – A coalition of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Abdul Aziz al-Hilu faction of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM-N) said on Tuesday they had captured the strategic town of Kurmuk in Sudan’s Blue Nile region.
The town sits on the border with Ethiopia. Its fall follows accusations by Sudanese officials that Addis Ababa facilitated the cross-border assault.
An RSF spokesperson said in a statement that the joint forces seized the entirety of Kurmuk along with the Al-Baraka and Al-Kaili areas. The statement followed what it described as “fierce battles” against the Sudanese army and its allied armed movements.
The commander of the army’s 16th Infantry Brigade, Brigadier General Mohamed Mansour, confirmed the withdrawal in an audio recording. He said his forces retreated due to a “specific situation” after initially repelling multiple waves of attacks and inflicting heavy losses on the decentralized coalition.
Control over the area has been volatile. The army and the RSF-SPLM-N alliance have traded control of Jurut, 20 km (12 miles) south of Kurmuk, since last week.
Blue Nile regional government spokesperson Saif Al-Nasr Allah Mahmoud confirmed the loss of both Jurut and Kurmuk. He told the Al-Muhaqiq news website that the army had repositioned to the Al-Baraka area north of the town.
Mahmoud alleged the attacking forces received logistical support from outside Sudan. He claimed fighters were transported from Darfur to a neighbouring country for training and arming before the assault, which he said involved foreign drones and mercenaries.
The humanitarian situation in the region has deteriorated rapidly. Thousands of civilians have fled toward Ed Damazin, the regional capital.
The escalation comes amid reports from Western media suggesting Ethiopia is hosting a training camp for thousands of RSF fighters. Such involvement would mark a significant shift in the conflict, providing the RSF with a major new supply of personnel as fighting intensifies in Sudan’s south.