KHARTOUM, Feb 22, (Xinhua): Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) announced on Saturday that they had taken control of the strategic border town of Al-Tina in western Sudan. The RSF said in a press statement that they had established "full control" over the town, pledging to protect civilians, secure key facilities, facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid, and restore basic services, particularly in the water and health sectors.

Meanwhile, Türkiye's semi-official Anadolu Agency reported that the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and allied joint forces have repelled the RSF's attack. Al-Tina lies on the Sudan-Chad border and holds particular significance in the conflict between the SAF and the RSF. The town is an important hub for the local Zaghawa people.

Observers say control of Al-Tina could carry significant military and political implications. For decades, the town has served as a corridor and staging ground for military movements in the region.

It is also a bustling marketplace and a key commercial hub between Sudan, Chad, and Libya. Abdul-Rahim Al-Sunni, a Sudanese political analyst, told Xinhua that the RSF's operation to take Al-Tina "could mark a turning point in the course of operations," suggesting it may allow them to redeploy some of their forces to other fronts. The collision between the SAF and the RSF has killed tens of thousands of people and forced millions to flee their homes.