KHARTOUM, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) on Sunday announced that it has lifted the siege on the strategic city of El Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan State, and regained control of al-Gitaina city in White Nile State.

"The SAF's Al-Sayyad (mobile forces) successfully opened the route to El Obeid and joined with the Al-Hajana forces in the city," the SAF's spokesman, Nabil Abdalla, said in a statement.

He added that the army forces from White Nile State destroyed the "militia forces" and cleaned al-Gitaina city.

According to the statement, army units moved from Al-Rahad city in North Kordofan State, which was "liberated" six days ago, and reached El Obeid, which had been under siege by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since the civil war erupted.

El Obeid is an essential hub for trade and agriculture in Sudan. The oil pipeline, which runs from South Sudan to Port Sudan on the Red Sea in eastern Sudan, passes through the city.

The army recently announced that its forces had made advancements in their fight against the RSF on different fronts.

On Feb. 17, the army said that it had taken full control of the Kafouri area in Bahri city, the last stronghold of the RSF in the city.

Sudan has been gripped by a devastating conflict between the SAF and the RSF since mid-April 2023, which claimed at least 29,683 lives, according to the latest estimates by international organizations. Enditem

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