RSF seizes control of military base deserted by SAF troops near Blue Nile state

SENNAR – Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) said on Wednesday they had taken control of the 66^th Brigade of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) in Mazmoum, a small town in southern Sennar state located near the border with Blue Nile State.

Mazmoum housed the SAF’s last remaining brigade in southern Sennar. SAF troops withdrew at dawn on Tuesday, fearing an imminent attack after the RSF captured the headquarters of the 67^th Brigade south of Sinja, the capital of Sennar state.

Abdelrahman El Bishi, an RSF field commander in Mazmoum, said he established a committee to protect civilians from “negative” practices he attributed to “Islamist elements.”

The army left weapons behind in the brigade, according to Bishi. Local residents handed over weapons and other equipment, including vehicles, cannons, ammunition, and light arms, to the RSF.

Bishi said the committee, comprised of RSF commanders, is responsible for maintaining security in the city and surrounding areas. Their focus is on preventing attacks on civilians, confronting looting or robbery, and countering any infiltration attempts from outside the city.

“This committee’s purpose is to protect civilians, provide services, and stop negative activities by Islamist elements who want to damage the RSF’s reputation through violence,” Bishi said.

Mazmoum is located in Dali locality, Sennar state. It is 33 kilometers from Al Garabin, the nearest city in Blue Nile state, and only 27 kilometers from Renk County in South Sudan’s Upper Nile state.

The RSF’s control of Mazmoum suggests their next target could be Blue Nile state.