Addis Abeba — Sudanese Sovereign Council Chairman and army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan inspected military forces and operational readiness in Blue Nile State as clashes intensify between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and its ally, the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N), near the Ethiopian border.
Burhan visited Damazin, the capital of Blue Nile State, where he inspected the army's 4th Infantry Division and received briefings on the security and operational situation, according to an army statement cited by Anadolu News Agency.
Ethiopian culture guide The army said Burhan assessed the division's combat readiness and stressed the need to maintain heightened preparedness, vigilance, discipline and adherence to military plans and directives. He also visited a military hospital in Damazin and was briefed on the condition of wounded soldiers and the facility's operations.
Discover moreLocal NewsNewspapersJournalism workshop His visit comes as fighting has intensified across Blue Nile, where the RSF and SPLM-N alliance has made recent territorial gains. The alliance has claimed control of the Bakori and Sorkam military bases, while the Sudanese army has deployed additional forces to the region.
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Addis Ababa events Sudan Tribune reported on 1 September that advance units of the Joint Force, comprising armed movements allied with the Sudanese army, had arrived in Damazin to reinforce government forces. The deployment followed advances by RSF and SPLM-N forces, including the reported capture of Kurmuk and Geissan, two strategic towns near the Ethiopian border.
The escalation comes amid reports of increased military activity on the Ethiopian side of the border. In a Human Security Alert issued on 28 August, the Yale School of Public Health's Humanitarian Research Lab (HRL) reported a significant buildup of military vehicles and equipment at an Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) base in Asosa.
Yale HRL said it identified about 100 newly present light technical vehicles at the base between 23 and 28 August, roughly 6 times the number observed on 23 August. At least 5 appeared to have mounted weapons, while another grouping of 15 vehicles was assessed as consistent with armored personnel carriers.
Discover moreEthiopian news updatespoliticalPoliticalEthiopian election analysisAfricans & DiasporaPolitical analysis reportsnewsExecutive BranchDigital media advertisingMagazines The laboratory assessed that the buildup could support a force ranging from a large regiment to brigade size, with the vehicles capable of transporting an estimated 750 to 1,000 personnel. The buildup coincided with the arrival of at least 5 vehicle transport carriers and 14 trailers.
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Yale HRL also identified a substantial increase in logistical infrastructure and supplies, including at least 60 new cargo containers between 29 June and 23 August, followed by another 15 containers and at least 8 cargo transport trucks between 23 and 28 August.
Separately, Sudan Tribune reported on 3 September that a local Sudanese official accused the RSF of operating 4 training camps inside Ethiopia with alleged backing from the United Arab Emirates. Abdelati Mohamed El Faki, commissioner of Kurmuk, claimed the facilities were being used to train RSF fighters and foreign mercenaries and support drone operations and logistical activities.
Ethiopian culture guide Sudan Tribune said it could not independently verify the allegations. Ethiopia has previously rejected accusations that it facilitates arms transfers or training for the RSF, while the UAE has repeatedly denied providing military support to the paramilitary group.
The fighting has displaced thousands of civilians from southern and western Blue Nile, according to local sources and aid agencies, with many fleeing toward Damazin.
Sudan has been embroiled in war between the army and the RSF since April 2023. The conflict has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions, according to UN and international estimates.
