Al-Baraka Battle Day 2: SAF Commander Claims Recapture, RSF Footage Disputed

Intense fighting continued over Al-Baraka garrison town in southern Blue Nile State on June 4, 2026, with SAF and the joint RSF/SPLM-N (Toka) force again trading conflicting claims of control. An SAF army commander stated on social media that forces 'had regained control of Al-Baraka after RSF fighters entered the area during the early morning hours of June 3.' RSF-affiliated social media accounts countered with footage claiming to show fighters still inside the base. Independent verification of control remained impossible due to the remote location and communications restrictions. Darfur24 reported that the fighting erupted as part of the broader RSF/SPLM-N pressure on the southern Blue Nile corridor following their capture of Kurmuk on March 23, 2026. SAF's Fourth Infantry Division — which has conducted the rolling Blue Nile counteroffensive recapturing Muqja Station, Al-Kayli, Khor Hassan, and five Qaysan district towns since April 2026 — is the primary defending force. The Al-Baraka battle represents an attempt by RSF-SPLM-N to reopen pressure on the Damazin axis and potentially threaten the Roseires Dam following SAF's successful defensive operations in May. No civilian casualties were reported in the June 4 fighting.