Sudanese Army Recaptures Key Area Near Ethiopia Border Amid Prolonged Civil War

By Benadeta Mwaura - Reporter

Sudan, 27 January 2026 -Sudan’s national army says it has recaptured the Al‑Sillik area in Blue Nile State, a strategic location near the Ethiopian border, from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) after heavy fighting over the weekend.

Military commanders describe the operation as well‑planned and claim it dealt significant losses to RSF fighters and their ally, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement–North (SPLM‑N), as part of broader offensives across multiple fronts in the country’s long-running civil war.

The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) have battled the RSF since April 2023, after a power struggle escalated into a full-blown conflict that has killed thousands and displaced millions. Control over the Blue Nile, which borders Ethiopia’s Benishangul‑Gumuz region, carries both military and political significance because of its position on the southeastern corridor linking Sudan’s interior with the Horn of Africa.

Officials from the SAF’s 4th Infantry Division said in a statement that regaining Al‑Sillik and nearby areas came after repelling RSF attacks on Al‑Sillik and neighbouring Malkan, forcing RSF fighters to retreat.

The army also asserts that its operations in Blue Nile and other states, such as Sennar have increasingly pushed RSF and SPLM‑N forces out of previously held positions.

The recent retake of Al‑Sillik builds on a pattern of territorial shifts seen in Sudan’s civil war. In December 2025, the Sudanese army secured areas in North Kordofan state, a critical junction for supply routes and commercial traffic, following clashes with RSF fighters.

Control of such strategic zones strengthens the army’s reach and helps protect key roads linking central Sudan.

Meanwhile, fighting continues across several other fronts. In western Blue Nile, clashes have displaced large numbers of civilians toward Ed Damazin, according to regional authorities, underscoring the persistent human toll of the conflict.

The proximity of these battles to the Ethiopian border adds a cross‑border dimension to an already complex conflict.

Blue Nile’s border with Ethiopia, and wider dynamics in South Kordofan and Darfur, have periodically raised concerns in Addis Ababa about spillover effects and refugee flows.

Historically, tensions between Sudan and Ethiopia have flared over disputed border zones such as Al‑Fashaga, and recent conflict dynamics risk resurrecting latent grievances if the violence extends to border communities.

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Beyond border security concerns, the conflict also has humanitarian implications for the region. Large population movements, driven by fighting, resource scarcity, and insecurity, strain local services in neighbouring states and complicate peacebuilding efforts.

International agencies have repeatedly warned that protracted instability in Sudan threatens to deepen the humanitarian crisis across the Horn of Africa.

While the SAF portrays its recent gains as momentum toward reclaiming territory from the RSF, analysts caution that territorial control remains fluid.

The RSF continues to hold significant areas, particularly in western regions such as Darfur, and former strongholds are frequently contested.

The military balance could shift again as both sides adapt tactics, leverage allies, or respond to external pressures.

For Ethiopia and other East African countries, the situation underscores the need for sustained diplomatic engagement and preparedness to support refugees and manage cross‑border security challenges if the conflict expands further.

Peace efforts, humanitarian coordination, and regional cooperation remain essential to mitigating the broader impact of Sudan’s civil war on neighbouring states.