Joint Forces Spokesman: Militia Resorting to Desperation Tactics as Liberation of Ataroun Alters Battlefield Dynamics

Sabah Musa – Cairo – Sudanhorizon

The official spokesman for the Joint Forces, Colonel Ahmed Hussein Mustafa, has asserted that El Fasher remains firmly under their control, despite escalating attacks by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

In remarks to the Sudanhorizon news outlet, he said the RSF, having failed to achieve gains on the ground, has turned to what he described as “tactics of the helpless”—surrounding El Fasher and bombarding it from a distance with heavy artillery. He confirmed that the Abu Shouk camp for displaced persons was shelled on early Sunday, resulting in the deaths of 14 civilians.

Colonel Mustafa highlighted the strategic significance of Ataroun, which was recaptured from RSF forces on Sunday. Located at a key junction connecting Northern State, North Darfur, and the border triangle, Ataroun plays a crucial role in the region’s military logistics. “The liberation of Ataroun cuts off the militia’s primary military, logistical, and human supply routes,” he said, calling the development a major shift in the balance of power in both North Darfur and the wider Darfur region.

Regarding the RSF’s recent declaration of a state of emergency in West Kordofan, Mustafa dismissed it as symbolic of a collapsing force. He added, that the move reveals a state of fear and defeat. He also noted that a small group of RSF fighters remains in the city of Nahud but asserted that their expulsion is imminent.

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