Conflict Intensifies in Sudan's Kadugli as Fighting Resumes Between Army and Rapid Support Forces
Claims of territorial gains in South Kordofan amid escalating clashes and airstrikes.
Fighting has intensified in Sudan, particularly in the strategic region of South Kordofan, as the Sudanese Armed Forces and allied factions engage in armed conflict against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The RSF, in conjunction with the Sudan People's Liberation Movement led by Abdel Aziz Al-Hilu, has claimed capture of the strategic area of Um Dahalib in South Kordofan.
In a notable resurgence of violence, clashes have also re-emerged in the town of Babounos, West Kordofan, following over a year of relative calm.
On Sunday morning, RSF drones reportedly targeted the city of Al-Rahad in North Kordofan, coinciding with the third day of the Eid al-Adha celebrations.
Official communications from the Sudanese military regarding the situation in South Kordofan have yet to emerge.
However, pro-military reports indicate that military forces managed to reclaim Um Dahalib within hours and inflicted severe casualties on RSF troops and their allies.
Conversely, RSF sources maintain that they continue to control the town.
Um Dahalib serves as the administrative center for the Qader locality and provides a critical connection between South Kordofan and the oil-rich Heglig region.
It is significantly positioned near Kadugli, the state's capital, and approximately 70 kilometers from Kauda, an area held by the RSF-affiliated Sudan People's Liberation Movement since 2011.
In Darfur, the Sudanese Armed Forces have launched intense airstrikes on RSF gatherings around the cities of El Fasher and Malit in North Darfur.
Reports from witnesses noted powerful explosions in the northwest of El Fasher, with civilian-led Resistance Committees describing an unusual glow over the city early on Sunday, while also expressing uncertainty regarding the causes and extent of the damage.
It remains unclear whether the Sudanese military has resumed full-scale aerial operations after facing significant losses due to RSF drone assaults on key military installations, including the Wadi Sidna military base in Omdurman and the Osman Digna Air Base near Port Sudan.
Both sides have increasingly relied on unmanned aerial vehicles for military operations.
While military supporters typically refer to their aerial capabilities as 'hawks of the air,' reports indicate that both parties have been employing drones for targeted strikes on each other’s positions.
The RSF has reportedly utilized modern Chinese drones, specifically the CH-95 model, in its offensives aimed at military sites, fuel stations, and electrical facilities.
Meanwhile, the armed forces are leveraging Turkish Bayraktar TB2 drones in their responses against the RSF.
The resurgence of violence in Babounos comes after an agreement had instated a ceasefire, which permitted the Sudanese Armed Forces to maintain control over the city.
Recent military maneuvers suggest a breach of this arrangement by the RSF.
Reports suggest that RSF forces have mounted attacks targeting the military’s 22nd Division in Babounos, claiming substantial losses for the RSF during the first few days of Eid al-Adha.
Amid the ongoing conflict, the RSF has captured towns such as Al-Khowei and Al-Dabbait in West and South Kordofan, threatening the nearby city of Al-Obeid.
The RSF remains positioned around the city from the west, north, and east, effectively straining its connections to the broader national network.
The RSF has pledged to encircle Al-Obeid further by reclaiming Al-Rahad and Um Rawaba, which had been recaptured by the military earlier this year.
In West Kordofan, recent fighting has resumed in areas such as Al-Haqina Al-Jelaba, where RSF forces engaged with the military before withdrawing, while artillery attacks have been reported near military locations in Al-Rahad.
The RSF, in conjunction with the Sudan People's Liberation Movement led by Abdel Aziz Al-Hilu, has claimed capture of the strategic area of Um Dahalib in South Kordofan.
In a notable resurgence of violence, clashes have also re-emerged in the town of Babounos, West Kordofan, following over a year of relative calm.
On Sunday morning, RSF drones reportedly targeted the city of Al-Rahad in North Kordofan, coinciding with the third day of the Eid al-Adha celebrations.
Official communications from the Sudanese military regarding the situation in South Kordofan have yet to emerge.
However, pro-military reports indicate that military forces managed to reclaim Um Dahalib within hours and inflicted severe casualties on RSF troops and their allies.
Conversely, RSF sources maintain that they continue to control the town.
Um Dahalib serves as the administrative center for the Qader locality and provides a critical connection between South Kordofan and the oil-rich Heglig region.
It is significantly positioned near Kadugli, the state's capital, and approximately 70 kilometers from Kauda, an area held by the RSF-affiliated Sudan People's Liberation Movement since 2011.
In Darfur, the Sudanese Armed Forces have launched intense airstrikes on RSF gatherings around the cities of El Fasher and Malit in North Darfur.
Reports from witnesses noted powerful explosions in the northwest of El Fasher, with civilian-led Resistance Committees describing an unusual glow over the city early on Sunday, while also expressing uncertainty regarding the causes and extent of the damage.
It remains unclear whether the Sudanese military has resumed full-scale aerial operations after facing significant losses due to RSF drone assaults on key military installations, including the Wadi Sidna military base in Omdurman and the Osman Digna Air Base near Port Sudan.
Both sides have increasingly relied on unmanned aerial vehicles for military operations.
While military supporters typically refer to their aerial capabilities as 'hawks of the air,' reports indicate that both parties have been employing drones for targeted strikes on each other’s positions.
The RSF has reportedly utilized modern Chinese drones, specifically the CH-95 model, in its offensives aimed at military sites, fuel stations, and electrical facilities.
Meanwhile, the armed forces are leveraging Turkish Bayraktar TB2 drones in their responses against the RSF.
The resurgence of violence in Babounos comes after an agreement had instated a ceasefire, which permitted the Sudanese Armed Forces to maintain control over the city.
Recent military maneuvers suggest a breach of this arrangement by the RSF.
Reports suggest that RSF forces have mounted attacks targeting the military’s 22nd Division in Babounos, claiming substantial losses for the RSF during the first few days of Eid al-Adha.
Amid the ongoing conflict, the RSF has captured towns such as Al-Khowei and Al-Dabbait in West and South Kordofan, threatening the nearby city of Al-Obeid.
The RSF remains positioned around the city from the west, north, and east, effectively straining its connections to the broader national network.
The RSF has pledged to encircle Al-Obeid further by reclaiming Al-Rahad and Um Rawaba, which had been recaptured by the military earlier this year.
In West Kordofan, recent fighting has resumed in areas such as Al-Haqina Al-Jelaba, where RSF forces engaged with the military before withdrawing, while artillery attacks have been reported near military locations in Al-Rahad.
