Sudanese Army Repels RSF Attack in West Darfur
Sudanese army forces and allied fighters have repelled an attack by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in the strategically important Bir Sleiba area of West Darfur, Darfur Governor Minni Minnawi said Saturday.
The reported assault comes only weeks after Sudanese army troops and the Joint Force of Armed Struggle Movements regained control of Bir Sleiba following fighting with the RSF in July.
Located north of Al Junaynah, the capital of West Darfur, Bir Sleiba is strategically significant because of its position along routes leading toward the city. The area has repeatedly witnessed clashes between the RSF and forces aligned with the Sudanese army.
In a statement posted on Facebook, Minnawi said the RSF launched its latest assault using two mobile units. He claimed the attackers had sought to surprise his forces but were ultimately pushed back.
Minnawi did not provide information about casualties or equipment losses resulting from the fighting.
“The battle is not for land, but for the freedom of the people,” he said.
Members of the Joint Force later shared videos on social media that they said showed their forces maintaining control of Bir Sleiba and displaying destroyed military vehicles allegedly belonging to the RSF. The footage could not be independently verified.
The RSF had not publicly responded to Minnawi’s account as of 1345 GMT Saturday.
Minnawi had also reported earlier in the week that army and allied forces repelled another RSF assault in the Bir Sleiba and Jebel al-Maraafeen areas.
Displacement Grows as Fighting Continues
The latest clashes come amid worsening insecurity across parts of West Darfur. The International Organization for Migration reported Thursday that about 6,650 people had been displaced from 11 villages in the Sirba locality following two days of clashes and deteriorating security conditions.
The Sudanese army and the Joint Force made territorial gains in several areas north of Al Junaynah during July, following a period in which the RSF had established control over much of Darfur.
The army currently controls Khartoum, Al Jazirah state and large parts of northern, eastern and central Sudan, although territorial control remains fluid as fighting continues across the country.
Sudan’s conflict began on April 15, 2023, when disputes between the army and the RSF over the integration of the paramilitary force into the regular military escalated into open warfare.
The conflict has killed tens of thousands of people and forced millions from their homes. By the end of June 2026, the International Organization for Migration had recorded approximately 8.69 million internally displaced people in Sudan, while more than 4.64 million people had returned to areas within Sudan or come back from abroad.
The continuing battles in Darfur underscore the fragile security situation as both sides compete for territory and strategic routes across the region.
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