Thu Jun 12 21:31:00 UTC 2025: **Summary:**
Sudanese paramilitary forces, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), claim to have seized a strategic border area with Libya and Egypt after battling the Sudanese military. The military stated they evacuated the area as part of a defensive strategy. The Sudanese military has also accused Libyan commander Khalifa Hifter of supporting the RSF, a claim Hifter denies. This latest development is part of the ongoing Sudanese civil war that began in April 2023, resulting in significant casualties, displacement, and a severe humanitarian crisis, marked by atrocities and potential war crimes.
**News Article:**
**Sudan’s RSF Claims Control of Strategic Border Zone Amidst Ongoing Civil War**
**Cairo, June 13, 2025** – The Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a Sudanese paramilitary group, announced Wednesday that they have seized a strategically important border region bordering both Libya and Egypt. This claim comes amid a protracted and devastating civil war with the Sudanese military that has been raging since April 2023.
According to an RSF statement, the capture of the “triangular zone” strengthens their position along Sudan’s border with Libya. The Sudanese military, however, stated that it had evacuated the area as part of a “defensive arrangement” in response to the RSF’s aggression.
Adding another layer of complexity to the situation, the Sudanese military has accused forces loyal to Libyan commander Khalifa Hifter of directly supporting the RSF offensive. Hifter, who controls eastern and southern Libya, has vehemently denied these allegations, dismissing them as a desperate attempt to externalize Sudan’s internal crisis.
The seizure of the border area represents the latest escalation in a conflict that has already claimed an estimated 24,000 lives and displaced approximately 13 million people, with 4 million seeking refuge in neighboring countries. The ongoing violence has created the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, pushing some regions of Sudan to the brink of famine.
Reports of widespread atrocities, including mass rape and ethnically motivated killings, particularly in the Darfur region, have led the UN and international rights organizations to raise concerns about potential war crimes and crimes against humanity. The situation remains dire, with no immediate end to the conflict in sight.