The Sudanese army and its allied Joint Force announced on Friday that they had recaptured Sarif Ankoush and surrounding areas in North Kordofan state following fierce clashes with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
According to Sudan’s official SUNA news agency, the Joint Force said its troops regained control of the areas along the Al-Khuway axis after launching a military operation at dawn.
In a statement, the force claimed that the operation inflicted heavy casualties and significant equipment losses on RSF fighters stationed in the area.
The Joint Force also reported that the commander of the RSF unit operating in the area had been killed during the fighting.
Following the clashes, allied troops began extensive search and clearance operations to locate remaining RSF fighters and secure the recaptured territory.
The Joint Force said its personnel were continuing to pursue retreating RSF elements to prevent them from regrouping in nearby areas.
It reaffirmed its commitment to conducting military operations alongside the Sudanese Armed Forces until security and stability were restored.
The claims regarding battlefield casualties and territorial gains could not be independently verified.
In a separate development, the Sudanese army announced that its air defence systems had intercepted and destroyed what it described as a “hostile strategic drone” over the Dandaro area of Blue Nile state on Friday afternoon.
According to SUNA, the military said the unmanned aircraft had entered Sudanese airspace from neighbouring Ethiopia before being shot down.
The army did not provide further details about the drone’s origin, operator or intended target.
The latest developments come as fighting continues between Sudan’s military and the RSF, with both sides seeking control of strategically important territories across the country.
Sudan has been engulfed in civil war since April 2023, when tensions between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF escalated into open conflict.
The fighting erupted following disagreements over plans to integrate the paramilitary force into the regular military as part of a proposed political transition.
Since then, the conflict has devastated large parts of Sudan, killed tens of thousands of people and forced millions to flee their homes.
The mass displacement has affected communities both within Sudan and in neighbouring countries, placing immense pressure on humanitarian assistance and essential services.
International humanitarian organisations have described the conflict as one of the world’s gravest humanitarian emergencies, with widespread displacement, food insecurity and continued violence threatening civilian populations.
Friday’s announcements indicate that military operations remain active in several regions, including North Kordofan and Blue Nile, as Sudan’s prolonged conflict continues without a comprehensive political settlement.