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Fighting escalated on Tuesday in southern Sudan’s North Kordofan region, with residents in El-Obeid saying that a paramilitary drone exploded near the headquarters of an army division, according to AFP.
The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have been at war with Sudan’s army since April 2023 and seized El-Fasher — the military’s final stronghold in Darfur, western Sudan — in late October. Their advance in Darfur was accompanied by reports of mass killings, sexual violence, abductions and widespread looting, prompting mounting international pressure for a ceasefire. With Darfur now under their control, the RSF has redirected more of its focus toward Sudan’s oil-rich southern regions.
A resident in El-Obeid, who spoke anonymously due to fear of repercussions, said they saw “smoke rising from the area” after a strike aimed at the army’s 5th Division base. Another witness said they heard an explosion before “clouds of smoke” rose from the direction of the military facility.
El-Obeid, located roughly 400 kilometres (250 miles) southwest of Khartoum, contains an airport and sits along a key supply route connecting Darfur with the capital. Fresh clashes have also erupted around 400 kilometres southwest of El-Obeid in Babanusa — the army’s last remaining position in West Kordofan.
On Tuesday, the RSF released video footage that appeared to show its fighters inside the base of the 22nd Infantry Division, which serves as the army’s headquarters in the city. A day earlier, the RSF claimed it had secured “the liberation” of the entire city after repelling what it described as a “surprise attack” by army forces. On Tuesday, the army rejected claims that Babanusa had fallen, insisting its troops had beaten back a new RSF assault the previous day.
It also accused the RSF of carrying out daily drone and artillery attacks despite a unilateral ceasefire declared by RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Daglo. Kordofan — a region nearly the size of France — has become a critical battleground as the army attempts to push RSF fighters away from the strategic highway linking Khartoum to Darfur.
Meanwhile, diplomatic attempts to halt the conflict have made little progress. Last month, US President Donald Trump pledged to pursue peace efforts after Saudi Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman encouraged him to intervene. However, the fighting has continued.
On Monday, a war monitor accused the army of bombing a nursing school in Komo village, Kordofan, killing at least 40 people, according to two residents involved in the burials.
