Um Dafuq, January 05 (Darfur24)
For the first time, Russian forces stationed in the Central African Republic (CAR) have crossed into Sudanese territory and expelled Rapid Support Forces (RSF) police officers and administrative staff from a border area, local sources said.
A local official in the Sudanese town of Um Dafuq told Darfur24 on Sunday that Russian forces operating in the Central African Republic entered the Karkar area on Friday, marking their first known incursion into Sudanese territory.
According to the official, the Russian forces moved into Karkar—a border town shared between Sudan and the Central African Republic—and ordered RSF police units and administrative personnel responsible for security and civil affairs to leave the area immediately.
Karkar is located about 55 kilometers south of Um Dafuq locality in South Darfur State. Sudanese civilians predominantly inhabit the town, which serves as a key commercial hub and gathering point for surrounding communities.
The incident occurred weeks after an agreement was reached on joint coordination between the RSF and local authorities in Birao province, Central African Republic, to reopen a joint cross-border trade point in the area.
The official said that after the offices were reopened under the agreement, Russian forces arrived and expelled the Sudanese presence, including RSF police, forcing them to retreat toward Um Dafuq.
He added that the incident was formally reported to the RSF’s civilian administration, which has since contacted local authorities in Birao and is awaiting a response before taking further action.
Last week, Russian forces also closed a key road linking the town of Umm Dukhun in Central Darfur State with the border town of Birao, following the killing of Sudanese civilians at a weekly market inside the border region.