Sudanese Joint Force and RSF offer conflicting claims over North Darfur town

August 13, 2026 (AMBURU) – The Sudanese Joint Force allied with the national army said on Thursday it had recaptured the town of Amburu in North Darfur state, while the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) claimed to have repelled the assault.

The RSF and its allies in the Tasees coalition had seized Amburu in December during a broader offensive across northwestern North Darfur.

Joint Force spokesperson Mutawakil Abu Ja said in a statement that allied troops launched a precise offensive that liberated Amburu and surrounding areas, inflicting heavy casualties and equipment losses on RSF forces.

The RSF disputed the claim, stating its fighters repulsed the attack and captured 42 fully equipped combat vehicles along with large stockpiles of weapons and ammunition.

The fighting around Amburu coincides with border clashes near Chad in West Darfur, where army-aligned forces are working to block any RSF advance toward Tine, a key operational stronghold for the Joint Force.

In June, RSF fighters attacked several villages in Amburu locality, burning some to the ground. The region was also targeted in 2024 during reprisal attacks against areas populated by the Zaghawa ethnic group, which left about 16 villages destroyed and forced thousands of civilians to flee across the border into Chad.

Thursday marked a sharp escalation in hostilities nationwide, with the army repelling RSF assaults on Bara, Jabrat al-Sheikh, and Al-Ayara in North Kordofan state, while the RSF reported taking control of the strategic town of Kurmuk in the Blue Nile region.