Sudan's Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and South Sudan's Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) have deployed troops to the Abyei Administrative Area, violating the Abyei Protocol, as revealed in an investigation published by Sudans Post on February 25, 2026. The RSF has established a permanent military presence confirmed through geolocated imagery and field visits conducted between October and December 2025. Sudans Post's investigation, based on field reporting, details a map showing control over the disputed territory and states that the physical architecture of the Abyei Protocol is being dismantled by these forces. The deployment excludes neutral forces intended by the protocol, according to the report. Investigative reporters confirmed the RSF infiltration via geolocated imagery and on-site visits, as reported by Patrick Heinis on X. Sudans Post published the full analysis, highlighting who controls Abyei amid the ongoing dispute between Sudan and South Sudan. The Abyei Administrative Area remains a contested region between the two nations, with no additional developments reported in the three-hour window from 9:16 PM on February 25 to 12:16 AM UTC on February 26, 2026.
