The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) have intensified drone strikes on the strategic border town of Kurmuk in Sudan’s Blue Nile State as part of an effort to regain control of the area from an alliance of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N), according to a report by Sudan Tribune.
Citing military sources, Sudan Tribune reported that the army carried out its second drone attack this week, targeting defensive positions held by RSF and SPLM-N fighters in and around Kurmuk, a town near the Ethiopian border that has been under the control of the allied forces since March.
The sources said the strikes destroyed combat vehicles belonging to the allied fighters.
According to the report, a new front in Sudan’s civil war has been active in Blue Nile State since February, with SAF forces attempting to retake Kurmuk. Fighting is currently ongoing on the town’s southern, western, and northern outskirts.
Sudan Tribune further reported that the clashes have displaced tens of thousands of civilians, many of whom have fled to camps in Ed Damazin, the capital of Blue Nile State.
The report comes as Sudan’s conflict continues to spread across multiple fronts. Sudan Tribune reported that Sudanese army air-defence units on Tuesday engaged drones flying over Khartoum State, with residents reporting explosions in Omdurman and Khartoum North.
Witnesses told the outlet that air-defence missiles were seen intercepting drones over northwestern Omdurman and the East Nile area east of the capital. Military sources cited by Sudan Tribune said an RSF drone attempting to strike military positions northwest of Omdurman was intercepted before reaching its target.
The same sources said air-defence systems also engaged drones in the East Nile, with no casualties reported. Neither the Sudanese army nor the RSF had issued an official statement on the incidents at the time of reporting.
The developments come amid renewed diplomatic engagement over the conflict in Sudan. In a statement posted on his official X account, Massad Boulos, US Senior Advisor for Arab and African Affairs, said he held separate phone conversations with Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty.
Boulos said the discussions covered “the crucial political track in Sudan”, the ongoing conflict and humanitarian situation, as well as efforts to advance Libya’s unification and other regional issues. He added that the parties reaffirmed the importance of continued coordination and cooperation in support of peace, stability, and prosperity across the region.
The latest offensive follows gains claimed by SAF in Blue Nile State in recent weeks. Addis Standard reported in May 2026 that SAF announced it had recaptured the strategic town of Al-Kaily following days of fighting against RSF and allied SPLM-N forces. According to Sudan Tribune, Al-Kaily lies along a key route linking Ed Damazin with Kurmuk, making it a significant location in the army’s campaign toward the border town.
The fighting around Kurmuk has also heightened concerns over the spillover of Sudan’s conflict into neighbouring Ethiopia. In May 2026, Addis Standard reported that at least eight civilians, including an aid worker with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), were killed and several others injured in a drone strike in Kumruk town in Ethiopia’s Benishangul-Gumuz region near the Sudanese border.
Residents and local health officials said the strike targeted a civilian area on April 29, damaging homes and businesses. Witnesses alleged that the drone originated from Sudan’s Blue Nile State and accused SAF of carrying out the attack, allegations that Sudanese authorities have not publicly addressed.
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