The army said its troops recaptured the areas of Umm Garfa, Bara, Jabra al-Sheikh and Umm Sayala in North Kordofan after successful military operations that inflicted heavy losses on the RSF. The advance enabled army forces to secure full control of the 350-kilometre highway connecting Omdurman to El Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan.
A Strategic Highway Reopened
The RSF had controlled most of the strategic highway since the early months of the conflict that erupted in April 2023, using it as a main supply route between western Sudan and Khartoum. Losing control of the route will hinder the RSF's drive to take El Obeid—a city whose capture would give the paramilitary force control of all of western Sudan.
The capture of the Al Sadarat highway will help the Sudanese army move troops, weapons, fuel and supplies more efficiently, while blocking the RSF's push to seize El Obeid. Al Jazeera's AlMigdad Alruhaid said the capture restores "a direct connection between the capital and Kordofan for the first time in months."
Military operations began on Saturday when army troops and allied forces advanced from defensive positions in the Raheed Al-Nuba area, west of Omdurman. The force engaged in heavy battles to secure the towns of Um Sayala, Bara and Jabrat Al-Sheikh before advancing further on Sunday. The Sudanese military said the RSF suffered heavy losses, claiming 73 armoured vehicles were destroyed.
A Potential Turning Point
Nohad Eltayeb, Senior Research Assistant at ACLED, described the recapture of the towns as a major strategic breakthrough, noting that it changes the balance of power in North Kordofan. She added that the army's ability to sustain its advance into El Obeid remains uncertain, warning of potential humanitarian consequences for civilians in the region.
El Obeid has been under the control of the Sudanese army since the start of the conflict. The city hosts the headquarters of the army's 5th Infantry Division, and a major Sufi shrine and cultural centre. Taking control of the city would give the RSF control of the country's west and a key military base. It would also open supply routes to Darfur and allow the RSF to link up with allied Arab militias and its fighters in West and South Kordofan.
Fighting Intensifies Across the Country
The development comes amid escalating violence across Sudan. In El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, at least 42 civilians were killed and more than 30 injured in the previous week during clashes between the army and the RSF. The city has been a major battleground in the conflict, with human rights activists warning of the risk of genocide.
In South Kordofan, at least 50 people were killed and 100 injured on Saturday in an artillery attack by the RSF on the town of Talodi. An army source said 57 people were killed, while medical sources put the death toll at 50.
The conflict in Sudan has caused a devastating humanitarian crisis. More than 30,000 people have been killed and more than 12 million have been displaced from their homes since fighting erupted in April 2023. According to the United Nations, around 20 million people—more than 40 percent of the country's population—are facing acute food insecurity, and famine has spread to five areas in Darfur.
Warring Parties Meet in Geneva
The military gains came as representatives of the Sudanese army and the RSF met on Sunday in Geneva for UN-brokered ceasefire talks. The discussions, which began in the Swiss city on July 11, are being chaired by the UN Secretary-General's Personal Envoy, Ramtane Lamamra.
Ahead of the talks, Lamamra described the discussions as "serious and positive," expressing confidence that the two parties "will sign a declaration of principles, which will later pave the way for ceasefire negotiations and humanitarian access."
Both delegations had previously agreed to participate "with the goal of achieving a ceasefire and facilitating humanitarian access, in full respect of international humanitarian law, and protecting civilians." The talks are the first to include both warring sides since the Jeddah negotiations collapsed in December 2023.
With reporting from Al Jazeera, Reuters, Xinhua, SABC News, Barron's, Conflict News, and ACLED.
