Sudanese army says it has captured Al-Mazroub from RSF in North Kordofan
The Sudanese army said on 2 October it took full control of Al-Mazroub in North Kordofan after battles with the Rapid Support Forces. The army describes the town as a link to West Kordofan and says its capture cuts RSF supply lines.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2The Sudanese army said it took full control of Al-Mazroub in North Kordofan state on Friday 2 October after battles with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Anadolu AgencyN “The Sudanese army took full control of Al-Mazroub in North Kordofan state on Friday after battles with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, a military spokesman said.” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ Al JazeeraLC “The Sudanese Armed Forces say they have taken control of al-Mazroub in North Kordofan state following fierce battles with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF)” Read at Al Jazeera ↗ Mixed · 2Army special forces spokesman Mohamed Deidan told Anadolu the town links North Kordofan and West Kordofan, and called its capture an important step in cutting the RSF's supply lines and a major turning point in the fighting in Kordofan. Anadolu AgencyN “Deidan described the capture as an important step in the army’s efforts to cut the RSF’s supply lines, saying the town serves as a link between North Kordofan and West Kordofan states.” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ Al JazeeraLC “the city links the states of North Kordofan and West Kordofan and that, by seizing it, the army was advancing its goal of cutting the RSF’s supply lines.” Read at Al Jazeera ↗ Centre · 1Al-Mazroub lies in northwestern North Kordofan, about 90 kilometres (56 miles) west of Bara. The local Dar Hamar Emergency Response Room also announced the capture, and its spokesman Azzam Hamed said it opens the road for the army to enter West Kordofan state. Anadolu AgencyN “Al-Mazroub lies in northwestern North Kordofan, about 90 kilometers (56 miles) west of Bara.”“taking Al-Mazroub “opens the road for the army to enter West Kordofan state.”” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗
Left · 1In a statement, the army said the fighting caused casualties among RSF fighters and heavy losses of combat vehicles, and urged citizens in the "liberated areas" to return to their normal lives. An army source told Al Jazeera that Al-Mazroub was the RSF's largest stronghold in North Kordofan. These accounts come from the army and allied sources and have not been independently verified in the coverage. Al JazeeraLC “the military said fierce battles resulted in casualties among the paramilitary RSF forces, as well as heavy combat vehicle losses.”“A Sudanese army source told Al Jazeera that al-Mazroub was the RSF’s largest stronghold in North Kordofan.” Read at Al Jazeera ↗ Centre · 1Army personnel posted videos on social media announcing their control of the town. Anadolu AgencyN “Army personnel posted videos on social media announcing their control of the town.” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ Centre · 1The capture follows other announced gains: the army said it took the Um Sharo area on 26 September, a day after declaring control of Sodari, and has reported control of 11 areas in North Kordofan. Anadolu AgencyN “On Sept. 26, the army announced that it had captured the Um Sharo area in North Kordofan, a day after declaring control of Sodari”“announcing control of 11 areas in the state.” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗
Left · 1Kordofan lies where army- and RSF-held areas meet, between the army-held centre and RSF-controlled Darfur. Al Jazeera says the army has the upper hand in the north, the RSF in the west, and South Kordofan remains contested; one in five recorded attacks in the war has occurred there. Al JazeeraLC “The army has the upper hand in the north, the RSF in the west, and South Kordofan remains contested.”“Since the war began in April 2023, one in five recorded attacks in Sudan has taken place in Kordofan.” Read at Al Jazeera ↗ Centre · 1The war between the army and the RSF began in April 2023 and, according to UN and international estimates cited by Anadolu, has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced around 13 million. Anadolu AgencyN “The conflict has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced around 13 million, according to UN and international estimates.” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left1 outlet
- Framing
- Attributes the capture to the army ('says', 'reportedly') and places it in the wider Kordofan battleground and the war's ethnic and regional dynamics.
- Emphasis
- Army statement on RSF casualties and vehicle losses, Kordofan's balance of control, and the SPLM-N's alliance with the RSF.
- Leaves out or plays down
- No RSF response; does not mention the local response room or the earlier captures of Sodari and Um Sharo.
- Charged language
- “stronghold”“liberated areas”
- For example
-
“Sudan’s army says it captured RSF stronghold in North Kordofan” — Al Jazeera
“The Armed Forces urge citizens in the liberated areas to rest assured and return to their normal lives,”” — Al Jazeera
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- Straight report of the capture, led by army and allied local sources on its strategic value for cutting supply lines and reaching West Kordofan.
- Emphasis
- Quotes from the army spokesman and the Dar Hamar Emergency Response Room; recent run of army gains.
- Leaves out or plays down
- No RSF response and no casualty details.
- Charged language
- “major turning point”“sweeping advances”
- For example
-
“He called the advance a major turning point in the fighting in the Kordofan region.” — Anadolu Agency
“The army has recently reported sweeping advances across much of North Kordofan” — Anadolu Agency
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- The army says it took control of Al-Mazroub in North Kordofan on 2 October after battles with the RSF.
- Army special forces spokesman Mohamed Deidan said the town links North and West Kordofan and that its capture advances the goal of cutting RSF supply lines.
- The war between the army and the RSF began in April 2023.
Where accounts differ
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Independent confirmation and scale of the capture
- Left
- Al Jazeera headlines it as what the army 'says' and says 'reportedly', relying on an army statement and an army source for the claim of the RSF's largest stronghold.
- Centre
- Anadolu reports the army's and a local response room's announcements as the capture, and notes army videos posted online.
Sudanese Armed Forces organisation
Says it took full control of Al-Mazroub, inflicting casualties and vehicle losses on the RSF, and presents it as advancing the cutting of RSF supply lines.
““The Sudanese army has taken full control of Al-Mazroub after battles with the Rapid Support Forces,”” — Anadolu Agency
“fierce battles resulted in casualties among the paramilitary RSF forces, as well as heavy combat vehicle losses.” — Al Jazeera
Rapid Support Forces organisation
No RSF response is reported in either article; the RSF is described as the paramilitary force that lost the town.
“after battles with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces” — Anadolu Agency
Left1 article
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Sudan’s army says it captured RSF stronghold in North Kordofan
Neutral Cautiously attributes the capture to the army and adds regional and conflict context.
Centre1 article
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Sudanese army captures Al-Mazroub from Rapid Support Forces in North Kordofan
Neutral Wire-style report relaying army and local officials' statements on the capture and its strategic value.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 2 Oct 14:48 First Anadolu AgencyN Sudanese army captures Al-Mazroub from Rapid Support Forces in North Kordofan
- 2 Oct 19:51 +5h 4m Al JazeeraLC Sudan’s army says it captured RSF stronghold in North Kordofan
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.