DAMAZIN – Sudan’s Sovereign Council Chairman and army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan urged troops in Blue Nile State to raise their levels of readiness, vigilance and combat preparedness during a visit to the army’s Fourth Infantry Division in Damazin.
Al-Burhan inspected the division’s forces and reviewed their preparedness to carry out assigned military duties, according to a statement from the Sovereign Council.
During the visit, he received a briefing on the security and operational situation in the region and called for stronger discipline, alertness and readiness in line with plans and directives issued by the army command.
Al-Burhan praised the morale and combat readiness of members of the Fourth Infantry Division.
He also visited the military hospital in Damazin, where he inspected conditions for wounded soldiers and patients and reviewed the hospital’s work. He said the army leadership remains committed to providing care for members of the armed forces.
Maj. Gen. Ismail Al-Tayeb, commander of the Fourth Infantry Division, said Al-Burhan’s visit came at an important time and had raised troop morale. He said the division’s forces were ready to carry out their duties, secure the region and protect civilians according to army plans and directives.
As part of the visit, Al-Burhan toured Damazin market, where residents gathered around him and expressed support for the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and its leadership.
The visit comes as Blue Nile remains one of Sudan’s sensitive military and border regions, with renewed security tensions reported in recent weeks. The state’s position near Ethiopia and South Sudan gives it strategic importance, while the wider war has increased pressure on army deployments across border areas and internal fronts.
Sudan’s war, which erupted in April 2023 between the SAF and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has expanded across several regions, including Kordofan, Darfur and Blue Nile. The army has also faced growing pressure from drone attacks, shifting front lines and the movement of armed groups across multiple fronts.
In recent weeks, military activity has increased around parts of Blue Nile, including areas near Kurmuk and Qeisan, while the army has moved to reinforce its positions and defend areas under government control.
The visit also comes amid concerns over attempts by the RSF and the SPLM-North to expand their field influence in parts of the region, according to army-linked assessments. The situation has made Blue Nile a key front in the army’s wider effort to secure territory, maintain supply routes and prevent further expansion of the conflict.
