RSF Attacks Displace Thousands in Sudan's Blue Nile State
The Rapid Support Forces launched attacks in Sudan's Blue Nile state, displacing over 5,500 civilians from the Wad al-Mahi locality.
Fresh attacks by the Rapid Support Forces in Sudan's Blue Nile state have triggered significant civilian displacement. The International Organization for Migration reported that 1,770 people from 354 households fled villages in the Wad al-Mahi locality, including Jabal Nimr and Mezna, on October 5, 2026. Many of these residents sought refuge in Al-Rosaires, bringing the total number of displaced persons from Wad al-Mahi villages to 5,525 over a three-day period.
The Humanitarian Aid Commission attributed the displacement to RSF operations. This escalation follows a Sudanese military announcement on October 3 stating that government forces repelled a joint assault by the Rapid Support Forces and a faction of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North on the strategic positions of Minza and Bashkarkad.
Major General Ismail Al-Tayeb Hussein, commander of the army’s 4th Infantry Division, denied reports of an imminent paramilitary advance and asserted that the government maintains control over the area. Despite these assurances, fighting has intensified throughout 2026, particularly around strategic border positions near Ethiopia.
