Clashes intensify in Sudan’s Blue Nile as army and RSF alliance trade blows

April 25, 2026 (ED DAMAZIN) – Military operations escalated on Saturday in Sudan’s Blue Nile region between the army and an alliance of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the SPLM-N led by Abdel Aziz al-Hilu, amid conflicting reports over territorial control.

The RSF and its allies launched a major offensive in the southeastern region last March, seizing the strategic town of Kurmuk and several surrounding areas.

The army’s 4th Infantry Division in Ed Damazin said in a statement that its forces and allied groups repelled an RSF attack on the Sali site. The military claimed to have destroyed 36 combat vehicles and captured two others, while neutralizing several fighters.

Conversely, the RSF spokesperson said their allied forces had established full control over the strategic Al-Kaili area in Blue Nile following fierce battles against the Sudanese army.

The spokesperson added that these advances represent a significant shift in the theatre of operations and a strategic step toward ending the influence of the military and its affiliates.

Pro-RSF social media platforms broadcast videos that appear to show their fighters inside a military base in the Blue Nile region.

The intensified fighting and drone activity in the western and southern parts of the region have created a dire humanitarian situation. Thousands of civilians have been forced to flee their homes toward the regional capital, Ed Damazin.