The Sudanese Army says it has repelled an attack by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the Al-Silik area of Blue Nile state in southeastern Sudan. In a statement issued over the weekend, the military said troops from its Fourth Infantry Division confronted RSF fighters and their alleged ally, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement–North (SPLM-N), halting the advance and inflicting significant losses in personnel and equipment.
Describing the engagement as decisive, the army said its forces pushed back the attackers and reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining security and stability in the region. There was no immediate response from the RSF or the SPLM-N. The incident follows a similar clash on 25 January, when the army reported repelling coordinated attacks on the Al-Silik and Malkan areas, also in Blue Nile state.
The wider conflict, which began in April 2023, has fractured control across Sudan. The RSF dominates most of the five states in the western Darfur region, while the army retains control of large parts of the remaining 13 States, including Khartoum. The war has claimed thousands of lives, displaced millions and fuelled one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises.