SAF movements in Blue Nile state, Sudan

Key findings

• On 8 July 2026, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) captured the town of Al Kurmuk in Sudan’s Blue Nile state, roughly 1 kilometre (km) from the Ethiopian border. Al Kurmuk has strategic road access to South Sudan, Ethiopia, and Ad Damazin, the capital of Blue Nile state.
• CIR verified six videos showing SAF-uniformed fighters in Al Kurmuk, including footage posted on 9 July showing fighters celebrating at the Ethiopian border crossing.
• Al Kurmuk’s capture is part of a wider trend of documented SAF movements through Blue Nile state between 28 May and 8 July 2026.
• CIR also identified hate speech from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) commanders Idris Kafuti and Bushara Sharaf threatening SAF, the Joint Forces, and specific tribal communities, referencing the RSF El Fasher takeover and using ethnic slurs and dehumanising language.

SAF takeover of Al Kurmuk

On 8 July 2026, SAF took over the town of Al Kurmuk in Sudan’s Blue Nile state, approximately 1 km from the Ethiopian border. Al Kurmuk is a strategic location with major roads leading south to South Sudan, east to Ethiopia, and north to Ad Damazin, the capital of Blue Nile state. CIR verified six videos showing fighters in SAF uniform inside Al Kurmuk, including one where they are seen celebrating at the border crossing with Ethiopia, which was posted to X on 9 July.

The SAF capture of Al Kurmuk is part of a wider trend of increased conflict activity in Sudan’s Blue Nile state since May 2026. This state, which sits on the border with Ethiopia, is one of the areas where CIR documented the most conflict-related activity in 2026, alongside North Kordofan and West Darfur. CIR mapped the SAF’s presence through the Blue Nile state between 28 May and 8 July. The pattern of movement shows the SAF advancing through smaller, rural settlements along the Ethiopian border, such as from Amora on 28 May to Geisan on 31 May, and from Khor al Baraka on 3 June to Al Kurmuk on 8 July.

Hate speech from RSF commanders

CIR identified a pattern of RSF commanders using hate speech, ethnic slurs, and referencing the violent RSF takeover of El Fasher in threats towards opponents in Blue Nile state. In a video posted to X on 11 July, RSF commander Idris Kafuti is heard threatening the SAF, SAF-aligned Joint Forces, alleged SAF collaborators, and the Shawayga and Danagla tribal communities, who he associates with the SAF. He references the RSF takeover of El Fasher in October 2025 as a warning and says that there will be “no exceptions” for those who oppose the RSF. Kafuti also uses racist and dehumanising language referring to the Joint Forces as “slaves” and using the term “Falangayat”, previously used by the RSF in El Fasher to refer to members of the Joint Forces and portray them as “slaves” or submissive followers. CIR previously identified Kafuti at a detention site in El Fasher on 26 October 2025 during the RSF takeover. CIR geolocated Kafuti in Al Kurmuk in a separate video posted to Facebook on 8 July.

In a video posted on 8 July on Facebook, RSF commander and media figure Bushara Sharaf Aldin similarly uses threatening rhetoric. He claims that RSF forces have retaken control of Al Kurmuk and urges fighters to “activate Abu Lulu mode” and refrain from filming. “Abu Lulu” refers to an RSF commander who CIR identified in videos executing unarmed men in civilian clothing during the RSF takeover of El Fasher in October 2025.