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Sudan Military

Sudan's Paramilitary Forces Seize Key State Capital, Thousands Flee

Sudan's paramilitary forces, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), have seized the key state capital of Singa, prompting thousands to flee, amidst an ongoing conflict that has killed tens of thousands, displaced millions, and triggered a humanitarian crisis.

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Nitish Verma
New Update
Sudan

Paramilitary forces battling Sudan's regular army for more than a year said Saturday they had taken a key state capital in the southeast, prompting thousands to flee, witnesses said. The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) announced on X that they had "liberated the 17th Infantry Division from Singa," the capital of Sennar state. Residents confirmed that the RSF had deployed in the streets of Singa, and witnesses reported aircraft from the regular army flying overhead and anti-aircraft fire. 

The conflict in Sudan has been ongoing since April 2023, when fighting erupted between forces loyal to army chief Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan and the RSF led by his former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo. The conflict has killed tens of thousands, displaced millions, and triggered one of the world's worst humanitarian crises. 

Why It Matters : The latest RSF breakthrough means the paramilitaries are tightening the noose around Port Sudan on the Red Sea, where the army, government, and UN agencies are now based. This development could have significant implications for the humanitarian crisis in Sudan, as the RSF controls most of the capital Khartoum, Al-Jazira state in the center of the country, the vast western region of Darfur, and much of Kordofan to the south. 

Sennar state is already home to more than one million displaced Sudanese, and it connects central Sudan to the army-controlled southeast. Posts on social media showed thousands of people fleeing in vehicles and on foot, and witnesses told that "thousands of people have taken refuge on the east bank of the Blue Nile" river east of Singa. 

RSF forces are also besieging the town of El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state.  On Thursday, a report cited by the United Nations said nearly 26 million people in war-torn Sudan are facing high levels of "acute food insecurity". 

Key Takeaways:

  • Sudan's paramilitary forces have seized the key state capital of Singa, prompting thousands to flee.
  • The conflict in Sudan has killed tens of thousands, displaced millions, and triggered a humanitarian crisis.
  • The RSF controls most of the capital Khartoum, Al-Jazira state, Darfur, and much of Kordofan.
  • Sennar state is home to over one million displaced Sudanese and connects central Sudan to the army-controlled southeast.
  • Nearly 26 million people in war-torn Sudan are facing high levels of "acute food insecurity."