Sudanese Army seizes strategic Bara in North Kordofan

The Sudanese Armed Forces announced that they had gained full control of the strategic city of Bara in North Kordofan State on Thursday, following a large-scale military operation carried out by army units supported by joint forces and local popular resistance groups.

The recapture of the city came after intense fighting that resulted in the expulsion of Rapid Support Forces (RSF) units, which had been using Bara as a forward base for their operations in the region. Official army platforms circulated video footage showing troops deployed across the city’s main markets and entry points, as well as operations to clear remaining pockets of resistance. Military leadership described the development as a “strategic victory” that would boost morale among forces across multiple battlefronts.

Bara holds significant geographic and military importance due to its location at a crossroads of vital routes, most notably the “Exports Road,” which links the Darfur and Kordofan regions to the capital, Khartoum. Control of the city is therefore considered key to managing logistical supply lines and military movements across central and western Sudan.

The army’s recapture of the area is also expected to directly strengthen the security of El-Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan State, located approximately 40 kilometers away. The move could help ease the pressure from repeated RSF attacks and reduce the siege-like conditions that have affected civilians and key infrastructure in the state, while limiting the ability of RSF fighters to maneuver between various battlefronts.

On the ground, military sources reported that Sudanese forces destroyed a large number of RSF combat vehicles and seized several ammunition and supply depots, while retreating RSF elements reportedly fled toward western areas. Darfur Region Governor Minni Arko Minnawi welcomed the advance in official remarks, stressing that regaining control of Bara would help secure humanitarian and commercial routes. He added that the operation would tighten pressure on armed groups that had allegedly used the city as a base to loot commercial convoys and disrupt Sudanese export flows toward major ports.

Observers say the capture of Bara could mark a significant shift in the balance of power within North Kordofan State. With the city now under army control, the Sudanese Armed Forces effectively hold a key artery that could hinder the movement of military reinforcements from western Sudan toward Khartoum and its surrounding metropolitan areas.

The advance comes as part of a broader escalation in the army’s military campaign, known as the “Battle of Dignity,” aimed at regaining control over strategic areas and major cities. The intensified operations are likely to increase both domestic and international pressure to find a resolution to the conflict, even as the army continues to emphasize a strategy of achieving decisive battlefield gains before entering any new political negotiations.