Sudan joint force, RSF clash in North Darfur

December 25, 2025 (KARNOI) – The joint force allied with the Sudanese army said on Thursday it repelled an attack by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on the Um Baru and Karnoi localities in North Darfur state.

On Wednesday, the RSF announced it had seized control of the Abu Gamra and Um Baru areas as part of a broader push to capture the last strongholds of army allies in the Darfur region.

Early on Thursday, the RSF launched an assault on the town of Karnoi, leading to fierce clashes with the joint force.

RSF field commanders later claimed to have captured the town, but joint force fighters denied the reports, saying they had successfully repelled the attack and inflicted heavy losses on the raiding forces.

Joint force spokesperson Mutawakil Ali Wakeel said in a statement that the force was monitoring “criminal escalation” by the RSF against unarmed civilians in North Darfur. He described the campaign in Abu Gamra and the surrounding areas as a systematic effort to force displacement and terrorize citizens fleeing El Fasher.

Wakeel said the RSF had burned entire villages, looted livestock and committed grave violations against civilians since the start of the offensive.

The spokesperson added that the joint force, in coordination with the armed forces and the popular resistance, engaged in direct clashes to thwart the attack.

The RSF renewed its assault on the same areas on Thursday morning, the statement said, but the joint force repelled the move, forcing the attackers to retreat after suffering losses in personnel and equipment.

The statement said the joint force remains in its positions to protect civilians and defend Sudan’s sovereignty and unity.