Al-Tina, July 22 (Darfur24)
The Sudanese army, its allied Joint Force, and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are reinforcing their positions along the Chad border, raising fears of renewed fighting in North and West Darfur, according to military sources and eyewitnesses, who spoke with Darfur24 on Tuesday.
A resident of Kalbus said the RSF had deployed hundreds of military vehicles across the town in preparation for a possible advance on Al-Tina, about 100 kilometers to the north. He added that intense airstrikes struck the area on Monday, with explosions heard in refugee camps across the border in Chad.
A Joint Force source in Al-Tina said the RSF carried out a drone strike on the town on Sunday, killing and injuring both civilians and military personnel. The source added that the Sudanese army had reinforced its presence with the arrival of troops led by Joint Force commander Amir Juka from Northern State on Monday evening.
The source also said the RSF had continued mobilizing forces and advanced into the Jarjira and Mastoura areas of West Darfur after capturing Kalbus earlier this month following the Joint Force’s withdrawal.
Eyewitnesses and local sources reported that Sudanese army drones also carried out strikes around Kalbus and the Rahad Burju area.
Recent weeks have seen both sides exchange control of several strategic areas in northwestern Darfur, including Kalbus, Jarjira, Bir Saliba, and Abu Qumra.
Al-Tina remains the last major stronghold of the Sudanese army and the Joint Force in Darfur after the RSF captured most of the region’s major towns and cities.