Sudanese Armed Forces announce end of Dilling siege in South Kordofan

According to a statement issued by the Sudanese Armed Forces on the evening of Monday, January 26, 2026, army units supported by allied forces succeeded in lifting the siege imposed on the city of Dilling in South Kordofan State, following phased military operations conducted along several axes around the city. These operations culminated in the reopening of the main entry points and the securing of connecting routes linking Dilling to areas under army control.

This development came after a prolonged period of siege that had made Dilling one of the most prominent cities to remain operationally isolated, relying on limited and unsafe routes to bring in supplies for both civilians and the forces stationed inside.

According to reports, the operation was based on an organized ground advance aimed at dismantling the strongpoints that formed the military cordon around the city, with particular focus on the roads linking Dilling to the Habila and Kadugli axes. Over recent months, these routes had been scenes of repeated clashes and hit-and-run engagements. The advance enabled the army to establish a field linkup with its forces inside the city, which in practical terms signaled the end of the siege — imposed through fire control and sustained pressure on access points — rather than through direct occupation from within.

On the ground, lifting the siege on Dilling represents a significant shift in the balance of the conflict in South Kordofan, as the city constitutes a geographic node connecting several vital axes in the region. Its isolation had allowed the Rapid Support Forces and their allies to disrupt troop movements and wear down forces through isolation and supply shortages, without the need for large-scale assault battles. Breaking this cordon opens the way for the army to reorganize its deployment in the area and to move forces and supplies with greater flexibility. It also eases pressure on other towns and areas indirectly affected by the siege, whether through military threats or the disruption of road networks.

The development also has a direct impact on the balance of control in South Kordofan, as it limits the ability of the RSF and their allies to employ the strategy of strangling cities, an approach that has proven effective elsewhere, and confronts them with two difficult options: either withdrawing to more distant positions and redeploying, or engaging in more costly confrontations to maintain influence around Dilling. In both cases, lifting the siege reduces their room for maneuver and breaks the stalemate that had characterized this axis for an extended period.

Politically, the significance of this development is no less important than its military dimension. Ending the siege of a city that had been encircled for a long time provides the military leadership with a strong card in its domestic narrative, particularly amid widespread criticism over civilian protection and the state’s failure to ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid. The event can be presented as evidence of the army’s ability to regain the initiative on complex fronts, not merely to defend existing positions. It also carries symbolic weight, as Dilling is associated in local memory with resilience under siege, making the lifting of the cordon a morale-boosting event that extends beyond the state itself.

At the negotiating level, this advance is likely to affect the calculations of the parties in any potential political process. Battlefield shifts often translate directly into negotiating positions, and lifting the siege of Dilling may be used to redefine the balance of power, either by raising the ceiling of demands or by improving the standing of the army and its allies in future talks. Conversely, the development may push other parties to offset the loss through escalation on different fronts, leaving the coming phase open to multiple scenarios.

From a humanitarian perspective, breaking the siege opens a window of hope for the city’s residents, who have suffered from shortages of basic services, movement restrictions, and difficulties in accessing aid. Reopening roads theoretically allows humanitarian assistance, medical supplies, and food to enter, as well as a partial resumption of commercial activity. However, this remains contingent on the stability of the security situation and the continued control of the city’s surroundings. Previous experiences in similar areas suggest that lifting a siege does not automatically end suffering, but it does constitute an indispensable prerequisite for any genuine humanitarian improvement.

Overall, lifting the siege of Dilling cannot be viewed as an isolated event, but rather as part of a broader process of reshaping lines of control in South Kordofan. It is a development with clear operational implications, sends political messages in multiple directions, and reopens fundamental questions about the future of siege strategies and the limits of their resilience in the face of more organized counter-operations.