A pro-Sudanese army joint force has said that 19 civilians were killed in a large-scale ground attack carried out by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the Jarjira area of North Darfur.

In a statement on Monday, the Joint Force of Armed Movements said the Sudanese army, backed by the joint force and vigilante groups, repelled the assault late Sunday, preventing RSF militants from advancing in and around the area.

The force said its troops inflicted heavy losses on the RSF in personnel and equipment and captured several militants during the clashes.

According to the statement, retreating RSF elements carried out what it described as criminal acts against civilians, including killings and abductions, resulting in the deaths of 19 civilians.

Separately, the Justice and Equality Movement, one of the main factions within the joint force, said six of its fighters were killed during the fighting in Jarjira.

There was no immediate comment from the RSF on the statement, although it claimed control of the Jarjira area on Saturday, as evidenced by videos posted on Telegram.

Of Sudan’s 18 states, the RSF controls all five states of the Darfur region in the west, except for some northern parts of North Darfur that remain under army control. The army, in turn, holds most areas of the remaining 13 states in the south, north, east and centre, including the capital Khartoum.

The conflict between the Sudanese army and the RSF, which began in April 2023, has since killed thousands of people and displaced millions of others.