Sudanese army advances in West Kordofan, breaking RSF siege on al-Obeid

The Sudanese Armed Forces say they have taken control of several strategically important villages and localities in West Kordofan, marking a significant shift in the fighting with the Rapid Support Forces. Local media also reported that the army took the town of al-Khuwai on Friday, describing it as one of the main towns in the state. The advance is part of a wider offensive that has been under way for several weeks in the resource-rich region.

According to the supplied report, the army's gains this week have changed the battlefield balance in favour of the Sudanese government. The offensive by the army and allied Darfur forces has broken the RSF siege on al-Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan, and surrounding areas. It has also opened new routes for the army in central and south-western Sudan, including toward South Kordofan and the approaches to North Darfur.

The report says the fighting has strategic significance because it affects access to key roads and localities across Kordofan. One route mentioned links al-Nuhud, described as a site of gold mines, with al-Khuwai, underlining the economic importance of the area as well as its military value. The RSF still holds al-Nuhud and parts of South Kordofan, but the recent losses could weaken its ability to mobilise support in the region.

Kordofan has become one of the most important fronts in Sudan's war because it sits between the country's centre and its western regions. Control of towns and roads there can shape supply lines, troop movement and the ability of either side to reinforce other battlefields. The reported army gains therefore matter beyond the immediate area, because they may influence how the conflict develops in both Darfur and central Sudan.

The report also places the latest fighting in the context of the RSF's wider reliance on local tribal mobilisation. An independent Sudanese analyst quoted in the supplied material said the RSF's shift from attack to defence would alter its military composition. The analyst said Kordofan is not a social stronghold for the RSF and suggested the group could withdraw and reposition its forces in Darfur.

Another expert on Sudanese military affairs said the RSF has depended heavily on mobilising tribes and civilians in areas under its control, especially when it comes under pressure from several directions. That pattern is relevant now because the army's advances in West Kordofan appear to be increasing pressure on the RSF's positions in southern and western Sudan. The report says this could make Darfur the new centre of gravity in the conflict sooner than expected.

The supplied material also notes that the RSF is backed in part by allies in the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North led by Abdelaziz Al-Hilu. It says the paramilitary still holds al-Nuhud and parts of South Kordofan, showing that the battlefield remains contested despite the army's gains. No independent battlefield verification is included in the supplied rows, and the report does not give casualty figures or details of any civilian displacement.

What remains unclear is whether the army can consolidate its gains and hold the newly captured areas, and whether the RSF will attempt a counteroffensive or redeploy toward Darfur. The next developments to watch are confirmation of control over al-Khuwai, the status of routes toward South Kordofan and North Darfur, and any response from the RSF or its allies. The broader significance will depend on whether these advances translate into lasting territorial change or only a temporary shift in momentum.

#Sudan #WestKordofan #SudaneseArmedForces #RapidSupportForces #alKhuwai