RSF Attacks El Tina Border Crossing; Joint Forces Allied to the Sudanese Armed Forces Repel Assault

On Feb. 22, 2026, fierce fighting erupted around al-Tina (El Tina), a strategic border crossing between Chad and North Darfur, as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) launched an assault that the Joint Forces allied with the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) say they repelled.

“Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) said it captured the strategic North Darfur town of al-Tina, near the Chad border, posting video of fighters under a banner proclaiming control”

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Dabanga Radio TV Online reports the Joint Forces "repelled a 'treacherous' attack by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on the El Tina border crossing between Chad and North Darfur on Feb. 22, 2026."

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Al-Jazeera similarly reports "fierce fighting erupted Saturday in al-Tina" and that the RSF "attacked and used heavy weapons," while also noting joint forces said they denied RSF control.

SANA's reporting on related operations in the region notes heightened RSF deployments around Nyala and weapons-targeted strikes, underscoring a wider escalation in Darfur at the same time.

Claims on the ground remain contested.

Dabanga quotes Mutawakkil Ali, deputy spokesperson for the Joint Forces, accusing the RSF of targeting unarmed civilians to force them from their homes and to impose a new reality through displacement.

Al-Jazeera Net

The RSF had reportedly announced the previous day that it had seized control of the town.

Al‑Jazeera notes joint forces say they have "repelled RSF infiltration and denied RSF claims of controlling the town."

Al‑Jazeera also records that the RSF posted footage declaring control.

SANA’s material on regional operations documents RSF massing and arrests in nearby Nyala and government strikes on RSF equipment.

These reports paint a picture of parallel narratives and localized confrontations.

Al-Jazeera highlights the crossing's humanitarian significance.

“Joint Forces allied to the Sudanese Armed Forces say they repelled an RSF attack after the paramilitary group claimed control of the El Tina border crossing between Sudan and Chad, North Darfur, February 22, 2026 (Photo: Social media) The Joint Forces, allied with the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), say they have repelled what they describe as a “treacherous” attack by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on the El Tina border crossing between Chad and North Darfur, hours after the RSF announced yesterday that it had taken control of the town”

Dabanga Radio TV Online

al-Tina is one of two official crossings for humanitarian aid from Chad, making the fighting critical for relief access.

The WHO's Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged an immediate halt to attacks on Sudan's health sector.

Dabanga emphasizes the El Tina border crossing between Chad and North Darfur, echoing that logistical importance.

SANA situates the clashes within a broader, worsening humanitarian emergency in Sudan.

SANA notes that the conflict since mid-April 2023 has left "tens of thousands killed, millions displaced and famine spreading."

Al-Jazeera cites sources saying five Chadian soldiers were killed along the border during the clashes.

SANA documents explosions at Nyala airport reportedly targeting Rapid Support Forces (RSF) weapons and military equipment.

Sudan Horizon

Government statements said forces destroyed advanced RSF rocket launch platforms.

Dabanga’s account underscores the contested status of the El Tina crossing.

Dabanga quotes Joint Forces alleging civilian targeting aimed at creating displacement.

Together, the sources show both cross-border fatalities and targeted strikes on RSF materiel, even as claims over territorial control remain disputed.

The three sources together describe a contested, high-stakes engagement.

Local officials and joint forces deny RSF control and accuse the RSF of trying to drive civilians from their homes.

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The RSF has publicly asserted control and posted footage.

Independent operational reporting documents strikes on RSF hardware and reports lethal cross-border consequences.

All of this unfolds against the backdrop of a prolonged humanitarian emergency.

The available accounts conflict on who holds al-Tina and differ in emphasis between operational control, humanitarian access, and weapons strikes.

Where the reports disagree or remain ambiguous, the sources themselves reflect that uncertainty rather than offering a single confirmed outcome.