The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) says it has captured the strategic city of Al-Meiram in West Kordofan State, southwest of Sudan.
Al-Meiram locality is located about 60 kilometres from the border with South Sudan.
“On Thursday, our gallant forces liberated the 92nd Bridge (Al Meiram) of the 22nd Infantry Division in West Kordofan State, and our forces extended full control over the area,” the RSF announced on X, formerly Twitter.
The reported capture of Al-Meiram and its military base comes more than 14 months into the war between the Sudanese army and the RSF.
The RSF’s claim comes two weeks after its forces had taken control of Al-Fula, the capital of West Kordofan state.
Videos posted and shared online showed RSF fighters boasting about their capture of Al-Meiram, with some posing at the headquarters of the 92nd Brigade while cheering and chanting Allahu akbar.
The army has yet to respond to the claim.
The UN-owned Radio Miraya in South Sudan also reports that Al-Meiram has fallen to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
According to the station, reports indicate that most of the Sudanese Armed Forces deployed in Al-Meiram, including their commander with the rank of Brigadier General, have allegedly surrendered to the South Sudanese army in the Warguet, Majak-Wuoi, and War-Ayen areas in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State.
It pointed out that the fighting in Al-Meiram displaced thousands of Sudanese and South Sudanese who have poured into a dire humanitarian situation in Northern Bahr el-Ghazal State.
On Tuesday, Radio Tamazuj reported that Al-Meiram experienced a mass exodus of residents and displaced persons in anticipation of clashes following reports of movements by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
As part of regional and international efforts toward a peaceful settlement of the conflict, the Egyptian government has called for a conference for Sudanese political forces to be held July 7-8 in Cairo. The meeting aims to gather concerned regional and international partners to discuss solutions to the Sudan war.