Sudanese army captures key areas in South Kordofan from paramilitary forces

Sudan's armed forces have captured multiple strategic locations in South Kordofan state following intense combat with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and their allied factions. Military units secured control over Tabsa, al-Damra, Gardoud Jama, and al-Mureib west of Abbasiya Tagali after engaging RSF fighters and members of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North in heavy clashes throughout Sunday.

Strategic Significance and Civilian Response

The territorial gains west of Abbasiya Tagali provide the Sudanese army with improved defensive positions that could help prevent further attacks on the city by RSF forces and their allies. Local civilians reportedly celebrated the military advance, with army personnel sharing video footage showing troops asserting control over the newly captured territories. The Nuba Mountains community platform, a local non-governmental organization, independently confirmed the army's seizure of these strategic locations from RSF control.

Broader Conflict Context

The fighting in South Kordofan forms part of wider hostilities engulfing all three Kordofan states—North, West and South—where weeks of fierce combat have forced tens of thousands of residents to flee their homes. Neither the Sudanese army, the RSF, nor the SPLM-North have issued official statements regarding the recent territorial changes in South Kordofan, maintaining their typical pattern of limited public commentary on specific battlefield developments.

National Conflict Landscape

The ongoing conflict between the Sudanese army and the RSF, which erupted in April 2023, has created a fragmented national control map. The RSF maintains dominance over all five states in the Darfur region except portions of North Darfur, while the army controls most territory across the remaining 13 states in southern, northern, eastern and central Sudan, including the capital Khartoum. According to World Health Organization estimates, the conflict has resulted in at least 40,000 fatalities and displaced approximately 12 million people throughout Sudan.