Sudanese army retakes key North Kordofan towns

The Sudanese army has made one of its most significant advances in Kordofan this year, saying it has recaptured the towns of Bara, Umm Sayala and Jabra al-Sheikh following a large-scale offensive.

The operation was carried out by the Sudanese Armed Forces with support from the Joint Force of allied armed groups and other pro-army units. It followed weeks of intermittent fighting in northern North Kordofan, where the Rapid Support Forces had strengthened their positions north and west of El Obeid to protect supply routes linking central Sudan with Darfur.

Military sources said government forces launched clearing operations towards Bara after entering Umm Sayala. The army later said it had taken control of Bara, secured the surrounding area and pursued retreating RSF fighters heading west. Reports indicate that the offensive followed an RSF attack on villages south of El Obeid, prompting a major army counteroffensive that led to the recapture of several strategic positions.

Bara is a strategically important town on the road linking El Obeid with northern North Kordofan and Darfur. Umm Sayala lies along the route between El Obeid and Bara, which the RSF has used in recent months to move fighters, weapons and supplies between Darfur and central Sudan.

Military analysts say the army’s control of the two towns reduces the threat of a direct ground assault on El Obeid, which has faced repeated drone and artillery attacks in recent months. It also strengthens the army’s ability to secure the Export Road and routes leading towards White Nile state and Khartoum, while providing a possible launch point for further operations towards Darfur.

The North Kordofan state government said the offensive followed an attack it blamed on the RSF in the Barbir area south of El Obeid. It said 15 civilians were killed, several others were wounded and residents’ property was looted.

According to the state government, army forces pursued the attackers, forced them to withdraw and secured the area before launching operations to prevent further incursions.

Witnesses also reported drone strikes on water stations in Rahid al-Nuba and Umm Nabaq, disrupting supplies relied on by thousands of displaced people who fled Umm Sayala, Jabra al-Sheikh and eastern Bara.

The army’s advance marks a shift in the fighting in North Kordofan, where the RSF has maintained a strong presence since the war began in April 2023. The group used Bara’s location to maintain links between its forces in Darfur and central Sudan, while El Obeid remained the army’s main stronghold in the region.

North Kordofan has emerged as one of the war’s most active fronts in recent months. The army has repeatedly tried to cut RSF supply lines from Darfur, while the paramilitary group has sought to retain its logistical routes towards West Kordofan and Darfur.

Umm Sayala has also seen repeated clashes because of its position along the western military corridor.

Despite the army’s gains, fighting has continued along the approaches to Darfur. Clashes have been reported on the eastern and northern fronts, particularly along the boundary between Kordofan and Darfur, as the RSF attempts to reorganise its defensive positions and reinforce its forces inside Darfur.

Field sources said fighting has intensified along roads leading towards El Fasher and other western routes, with both sides using combat vehicles and drones. The developments suggest that the focus of the fighting is gradually shifting from the outskirts of El Obeid towards the front lines between Kordofan and Darfur.

Analysts say the capture of Bara and Umm Sayala gives the army an immediate operational advantage by restricting RSF movements in North Kordofan and disrupting one of its main overland supply corridors between Darfur and central Sudan.

The advance could allow the army to consolidate its control over North Kordofan before pushing towards West Kordofan and Darfur, where the RSF retains its main military and administrative strongholds.

Fighting is nevertheless expected to continue as both sides seek to strengthen their positions ahead of the next phase of the conflict. Darfur is increasingly emerging as the war’s main battleground following major shifts in territorial control in central Sudan and Khartoum.