Sudan: the paramilitaries retake Geissan, in the Blue Nile state at the border with Ethiopia.

The paramilitary offensive began on Tuesday with drone strikes and heavy artillery fire. The RSF reportedly arrived from Ethiopian territory, according to several sources, while the Sudanese army still controls other localities in the Blue Nile since June.

The RSF released photographs and videos allegedly taken in front of the medical center in Geissan, as well as in weapon depots abandoned by the army. These elements tend to confirm their presence in part of the town, but do not alone establish that they control the entire locality.

The Sudanese army claims that the clashes are not over. They assert that they still hold the base occupied by the 13th Infantry Division and are bombarding paramilitary positions using Turkish-made drones.

According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the fighting has displaced around 2,500 people, nearly 500 families. Some civilians have crossed the border into Ethiopia, while reports of abuses have also been noted.

A town located on a supply route

Geissan had already been attacked several times since February without the RSF managing to seize it. The paramilitaries specifically took Kurmuk, located about 60 kilometers away, but this conquest did not lead to the fall of Geissan.

The town is located nearly 180 kilometers from Damazin, the capital of Blue Nile State. Its position on the supply routes in the south of the state and its proximity to the Roseires Dam give it particular military importance. Its capture would strengthen the RSF’s influence in this border area.

The local government accuses the paramilitaries of taking advantage of the harvest period to loot agricultural products. The central market has also reportedly been vandalized. The authorities of Geissan describe these acts as “extreme crimes,” although no independent investigation has precisely established their extent.

The contested role of Ethiopia

The Sudanese army regularly accuses RSF fighters and their allies of entering Sudan from Ethiopia. Similar movements were reportedly observed in February and June. According to sources cited by several reports, the RSF and Abdelaziz al-Hilu’s forces, commanded by Joseph Toka, are said to have a training camp in the Ethiopian region of Benishangul, which also serves as a rear base.

Khartoum also accuses Ethiopia of facilitating the transportation of Emirati military aid to the RSF via Asosa airport. Similar accusations already involve Libya and Chad. Addis Ababa denies any involvement in supporting Sudanese paramilitaries.

For its part, Ethiopia accuses the Sudanese army of supporting the Tigray People’s Liberation Front. These cross-accusations come as the Sudanese conflict takes on a growing regional dimension, with the movement of fighters and civilians into neighboring countries.

According to several observers, the opening of this front in the Blue Nile aims to force the army to disperse its forces while it is advancing in Kordofan and Darfur. The RSF have also resumed their drone attacks on Khartoum and other cities in the north of the country after several months of calm.

On the same day, Ahmad Mohamad Hamed, appointed by the Presidential Council of the RSF, announced his defection live on a Saudi television channel. This latest desertion comes as the paramilitaries seek to maintain their positions on several fronts despite setbacks in western Sudan.