Joint Forces accuse RSF of killing 19 civilians in North Darfur

January 11, 2026 (TINE) – The Joint Forces allied with the Sudanese army accused the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on Sunday of committing widespread violations against civilians in remote areas of North Darfur State, resulting in the deaths of at least 19 people.

Fierce battles have raged for three days between army allies and the RSF in the Jirjira and Mastoura areas of the Tine locality, situated on the border with Chad.

The escalation of RSF attacks in these regions is part of a broader push to seize control of the last remaining strongholds of the army and the Joint Forces in Darfur, specifically the localities of Tine, Ambara, and Karnoi.

In a statement, the Joint Forces said that following a “field failure,” the RSF committed criminal acts against civilians in the Jirjira and Mastoura areas, including kidnappings and the killing of 19 citizens.

The Joint Forces and the army successfully repelled an RSF attack on Saturday on Jirjira and the surrounding areas in North Darfur, the statement added. It noted that the forces frustrated the assault, inflicting losses in lives and equipment on the RSF and capturing several of its members.

The town of Jirjira holds a strategic position linking North and West Darfur states. Located approximately 30 kilometres south of Tine and more than 100 kilometres north of El Geneina, the town serves as an advanced defence point used by Sudanese army allies to protect their positions in Tine and other areas near the Chadian border.