Sudanese Army Launches Operation to Retake Strategic Kurmuk Town

The Sudanese army has initiated a large-scale military operation to retake the strategically crucial town of Kurmuk, located in the southeastern Blue Nile state, from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and their ally, the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N).The operation comes after the recent recapture of various areas along the borders with Ethiopia and South Sudan in the Blue Nile state. The army has been intensively targeting the RSF's frontline positions around Kurmuk.Kurmuk is a critical location due to its control over land routes and military supply and communication lines connecting to Ethiopia and South Sudan. The RSF and SPLM-N had seized Kurmuk on March 24. The ongoing conflict in Sudan, which began in April 2023, has resulted in the loss of thousands of lives and the displacement of millions.According to United Nations (UN) data, millions of people in Sudan are facing the threat of starvation.