Sudanese army gains ground in western Darfur, claims key RSF commander killed

A Sudanese army-led offensive in western Darfur has achieved a series of advances against the Rapid Support Forces, culminating in the defense of Bir Saliba, the final RSF stronghold north of the state capital el-Geneina. Government-aligned troops repelled two successive RSF attacks in early August and captured key border crossings, tightening pressure on the militia’s supply lines from Chad. West Darfur governor General Bahr al-Din Adam Karama highlighted Bir Saliba’s strategic road links to Jebel Moon and Kulbus.

Darfur Regional Governor Minni Arko Minnawi announced that RSF field commander Mahdi Adam, known as “Jebel Moon,” was killed, a loss the RSF has not confirmed. The Joint Force of the Armed Struggle Movements, fighting alongside the army, also stopped an RSF attempt to encircle the town. Spokesman Major Mutawakkil Ali Wakil Abu-Ja reported the destruction of more than 38 combat vehicles, seizure of 27, and the death of the RSF sector commander, with fighters retreating. Air strikes on a convoy near the Chad border further isolated the RSF, while the conflict has forced over 6,650 people from 11 villages in Sirba to flee, adding to the UN’s estimate of 13 million displaced since April 2023.