KHARTOUM — Sudanese army forces and allied fighters have repelled an attack by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in North Kordofan, the Sudanese Armed Forces said, as fighting intensifies around the strategic state capital of El Obeid.
The army said its forces and allied units fought RSF fighters in the Bara area and forced them back after heavy clashes. The military also said it had inflicted losses in personnel and equipment, but did not provide independently verified figures.
The RSF did not immediately provide a response to the army's account, and battlefield claims by either side have been difficult to verify independently because access to much of the conflict zone remains restricted.
The fighting follows a series of territorial shifts in North Kordofan. In late July, the army said it had captured Bara, Jabra al-Sheikh and Umm Sayala from the RSF, taking control of positions along important routes linking central Sudan with Kordofan and Darfur. The RSF disputed some of the army's territorial claims at the time.
The Joint Force of Armed Struggle Movements, an army-allied coalition, subsequently claimed that government troops and allied fighters had destroyed dozens of RSF combat vehicles and seized others during operations in the state. The claims could not be independently verified.
North Kordofan has become a major battleground in Sudan's wider war, which began in April 2023 when fighting erupted between the army and the RSF. El Obeid, the state capital and a key transport and military hub, remains under army control while the RSF has sought to tighten pressure on routes around the city.
The RSF renewed attacks on El Obeid this week, including drone and ground operations, according to witnesses cited by Reuters. Eight drone strikes were reported in the city on Wednesday, killing two people and injuring others. The RSF and army did not publicly claim responsibility for the strikes.
The conflict has displaced millions of people and created a severe humanitarian crisis, with fighting in Kordofan further restricting movement and access to essential supplies.
The army has continued to reinforce its positions in North Kordofan, while the RSF maintains forces in parts of the wider Kordofan region and Darfur. The latest fighting around Bara and El Obeid leaves the front line contested, with no independently confirmed indication that either side has achieved a decisive breakthrough.
