Al-Junaynah, June 24 (Darfur24)
Field commanders from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) announced on Tuesday that their forces had taken control of the strategic town of Umbro in the far north of North Darfur State, saying they entered the area without significant resistance following the withdrawal of the Sudanese army and Joint Force troops.
Videos circulated by RSF commanders on social media showed fighters deployed across Umbro and at several key locations inside the town. As of publication, neither the Sudanese army nor the Joint Force had issued an official response to the claims.
Sources told Darfur24 that RSF forces advanced into the town after reconnaissance drones confirmed that army and Joint Force units had vacated the area. According to the sources, the withdrawing forces moved toward Al-Tina on the Sudanese-Chadian border, which is now regarded as the last major stronghold of the Sudanese army and Joint Force in the Darfur region.
The entry into Umbro reportedly occurred without clashes or military confrontations, amid a tense but calm situation in the area.
The RSF had previously announced control of Umbro in December last year, but later withdrew following drone strikes by the Sudanese army and military operations conducted by the Joint Force around the town.
Umbro holds strategic significance due to its location near the Sudan-Chad-Libya border triangle in northern Darfur. The area has witnessed repeated military competition between the Sudanese army and the RSF over recent months, reflecting its importance in the wider conflict across Darfur.