Sudan's army regains ground in Al Fashir amid assault by Rapid Support Forces

In the early hours of July 13, the Sudanese Armed Forces launched a surprise military operation in Al Fashir, the capital of North Darfur State, reclaiming several strategic positions in the city’s southwest that had previously been overrun by the RSF.

According to military sources cited by Asharq Al-Awsat, the city saw relative calm on Saturday following fierce clashes the day before, during which RSF fighters had mounted a large-scale offensive aimed at consolidating their presence in the area.

In an official statement, the army reported that its Sixth Infantry Division successfully repelled the RSF assault, inflicting heavy losses on enemy personnel and equipment. It also confirmed that government forces had regained control of all frontline districts.

During the fighting, RSF units managed to temporarily seize key locations in the southern parts of Al Fashir, including the headquarters of the Central Reserve Police and the notorious Shalla Prison. However, ground counterattacks, supported by intense drone strikes, forced the RSF to retreat to their previous positions.

Army sources emphasised that the RSF failed to achieve any significant breakthroughs or territorial gains as a result of the operation.

The battle for Al Fashir—one of the last major urban centres in Darfur not fully under RSF control—remains a critical flashpoint in Sudan’s broader civil conflict, which erupted in April 2023.

By Khagan Isayev