The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) gained control of the main headquarters of the joint force in Mellit of north Darfur state on Sunday following heavy clashes broke out between armed movements and the paramilitary forces.

Eyewitnesses told Sudan Tribune that “the RSF took control of the headquarters of the joint force affiliated with the armed movements that signed the Juba Peace Agreement and forced them to withdraw towards El Fasher and some nearby villages.”

Pro-RSF outlets broadcast video clips showing the destruction of a large number of armed movement vehicles and the capture of a number of soldiers. The RSF Commander in Central Darfur, Ali Yaqoub, appeared in a video clip in front of the Mellit Administrative Unit.

With the capture of Mellit, the RSF has effectively gained control of all areas north of El Fasher.

North Darfur’s strategic hub, Mellit, sits just 60 kilometres from El-Fasher. This border town plays a crucial role in the region. It acts as a vital checkpoint for humanitarian aid deliveries to Darfur, designated by the government as a crossing point on the key Al-Dabba Al-Fasher road. Mellit also serves as a gateway for Libyan traffic and boasts one of the largest customs points in all of Darfur.