Sudan’s Army Says It Has Taken Control of New Areas in North Kordofan
The army says its forces, supported by joint units, captured Abu Qaud, Umm Samima and Mount Abu Sunun after days of fighting with the Rapid Support Forces.
Sudan’s army says it and allied joint forces have captured Abu Qaud, Umm Samima and Mount Abu Sunun in North Kordofan after fighting with the Rapid Support Forces. The army says operations continue and that it aims eventually to reopen the El Obeid–Dilling road. The reported advance is part of a wider campaign in Kordofan, where the United Nations has warned of escalating drone attacks and civilian casualties. Battlefield claims have not been independently verified in the supplied evidence.
Sudan’s army has announced that it captured several locations in North Kordofan following days of fighting with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), according to a report by Sudan Tribune cited by Iran’s IRNA news agency.
The army said its forces, backed by joint units, had taken control of Abu Qaud, Umm Samima and Mount Abu Sunun, along with surrounding areas. The announcement described the operation as part of a broader military campaign in North Kordofan, one of the main fronts in Sudan’s continuing war.
According to the report, military operations are continuing in an effort to pursue remaining RSF fighters, expand the army’s area of control and secure the locations it says have been recaptured. A spokesperson for the army’s special operations forces said the fighting along the Kordofan axis was ongoing.
The spokesperson also said the forces were working toward reopening the El Obeid–Dilling road in a subsequent phase. The route is strategically important for movement between areas of North Kordofan and for access to communities affected by the conflict. The supplied report did not provide a timetable for reopening the road or independent confirmation that the newly announced territorial gains had been consolidated.
The latest advance follows an earlier announcement by the Sudanese army and joint forces that they had taken control of 11 areas near the locality of Sudri. Military sources described the operations as part of efforts to strengthen army positions and cut RSF supply lines. Those claims, like the latest announcement, were presented through reports citing military sources; the available evidence does not include an independent assessment of the battlefield situation.
Kordofan has become an increasingly important theater in Sudan’s war. The region consists of North, West and South Kordofan, and the supplied report says all three states have experienced intensifying clashes between the army and the RSF since October 25, 2025. Control of roads and settlements in the region can affect military supply routes and access to population centers, but the evidence provided does not specify the current front lines beyond the areas identified by the army.
The fighting has also raised concerns about the impact on civilians. The United Nations warned on May 12 about an escalation in drone attacks in Kordofan, saying such attacks had killed at least 880 civilians between January and April. The supplied account does not attribute responsibility for all of those attacks or provide a breakdown of casualties by location.
Sudan has been at war since April 2023, when fighting erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF. The conflict has produced a severe humanitarian crisis. United Nations estimates cited in the report put the death toll at tens of thousands and the number of displaced people at approximately 13 million.
The army’s reported gains in North Kordofan therefore come amid a wider contest over territory, transport links and supply routes. If maintained, control of Abu Qaud, Umm Samima and Mount Abu Sunun could support the army’s stated effort to expand its presence and improve security in recaptured areas. However, continued operations and the absence of independent verification mean the extent and durability of the claimed advance remain uncertain.
For civilians, renewed fighting and reported drone attacks add to the risks created by displacement, disrupted transport and limited access to essential services. The available evidence does not provide updated figures for casualties or displacement specifically linked to the latest battles in North Kordofan.