Sudan: Sudan's Ground War Escalates As Rivals Fight for Territory and Legitimacy

What the report says

Sudan’s war has seen a new spike in ground fighting over the past several days, with control of territory shifting in several regions, according to Ayin Network as republished by AllAfrica. The report says the Sudanese army has expanded its positions in parts of Kordofan, while the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have advanced in Blue Nile State, especially around the towns of Kurmuk and Geisan near the Sudan-Ethiopia border. Fighting was also reported in areas of North Darfur and West Darfur.

Ayin said it documented 55 ground battles between July 25 and August 17, with most clashes concentrated in North Kordofan and Blue Nile. The article describes the conflict as increasingly tied to both military advantage and political legitimacy. The army’s leader, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has announced steps toward a political dialogue in army-held areas, including discussions over a government and legislative council. The report says analysts see this as an effort to consolidate authority, while the RSF is believed to be trying to undermine that process.

The fighting has had a direct civilian toll. The International Organization for Migration is cited as reporting that violence in Geisan and Kurmuk displaced 14,000 people in Blue Nile State. The report describes people fleeing by boat and on dangerous roads, amid looting and checkpoint extortion. The broader significance is that battlefield gains are now shaping both the war’s map and rival claims to political legitimacy, making prospects for negotiations and humanitarian relief more difficult.