The RSF attacked Bara, a city 350km (215 miles) southwest of Khartoum, the capital, from multiple directions on Saturday morning, drawing artillery fire from the Sudanese armed forces (SAF), a military source told Al Jazeera. The city is one of the largest urban areas under army control near the western front line with the RSF, but it is encircled by the paramilitary's fighters. Communications networks were cut off after the assault on North Kordofan's second largest city.