The attack on Geissan in Blue Nile State triggered a fresh wave of displacement, with about2,500 people fleeing the town, according to the International Organization for Migration. The UN agency estimated that around 500 families were displaced as security conditions deteriorated, with most of those displaced moving to other locations within the Geissan area, while others crossed the border into Ethiopia. A Sudanese army source alleged that the assault was launched from inside Ethiopian territory, a claim that has been made before by the Sudanese government.
The Rapid Support Forces, however, claimed it had captured Geissan and military positions in the town, a claim that could not be independently verified. The Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North, led by Abdelaziz al-Hilu, is allied with the RSF in the fighting. A Sudanese military source said government-aligned forces were confronting the attackers and had inflicted heavy losses on their ranks. The source also alleged that the assault was launched from inside Ethiopian territory, a claim that Ethiopian authorities have not responded to.
Sudan's army-aligned government has repeatedly accused the RSF of launching attacks from Ethiopian territory, including drone attacks launched from inside Ethiopia against several Sudanese states. Ethiopia has rejected allegations that it hosts RSF or Emirati forces, while the UAE denies accusations that it arms the paramilitary group. The conflict between the RSF and the Sudanese army has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced around 13 million, according to humanitarian agencies, creating one of the world's largest displacement and humanitarian crises.
The latest fighting along the Ethiopia-Sudan border comes amid renewed tensions in the wider area, with hundreds of Ethiopians fleeing into Sudan following fighting in Ethiopia's Tigray region earlier this month. The Blue Nile State has emerged as an increasingly important front in Sudan's war, with the RSF conducting ground offensives and intensifying drone attacks in an effort to challenge army control in the southeast. The Sudanese army controls large parts of Blue Nile State, while the SPLM-N has fought the government since 2011, seeking greater autonomy for South Kordofan and Blue Nile.
The conflict between the RSF and the Sudanese army began in April 2023 over the planned integration of the paramilitary force into the national military. The fighting has created a humanitarian crisis, with the international community calling for a ceasefire and a return to negotiations. The situation remains tense and volatile, with the potential for further escalation and displacement of civilians. The international community will be watching the situation closely, as the conflict has the potential to destabilize the entire region.
