Serba, August 04 (Darfur24)
Rapid Support Forces (RSF) field sources said on Tuesday that the group had seized the Bir Saliba area in Serba locality, West Darfur State, following clashes with the Joint Force allied with the Sudanese army.
Sources told Darfur24 that the RSF launched an assault on Bir Saliba, describing it as the Joint Force’s last remaining stronghold in northwestern West Darfur and a strategic base for military operations along the mountainous border with Chad.
The sources said the fighting resulted in casualties on both sides, including the death of Mahdi Jabal Moon, whom they described as one of the RSF’s most prominent commanders in northwestern Darfur. They did not provide an exact casualty toll for either side.
According to the sources, the RSF took full control of Bir Saliba after the fighting ended. Fighters affiliated with the group circulated videos on social media that they said showed their presence inside the area, with smoke visible in the surrounding area.
Darfur24 could not independently verify the RSF’s claim of control, and the Joint Force had not commented on the reported developments at the time of publication.
Northwestern West Darfur has witnessed recurring clashes in recent months as the RSF and the Joint Force continue to contest control of strategic areas along the Chad border amid the wider conflict between the Sudanese army and the RSF.