The Sudanese army has broken the long-standing siege imposed by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on Kadugli, the capital of South Kordofan state, according to two army sources who spoke to AFP on Tuesday. The advance marks a significant development on what has been described as the war’s most intense front line.
“Our forces have entered Kadugli and lifted the siege,” one source confirmed, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
The breakthrough was achieved after government forces advanced approximately 100 kilometers from the neighboring town of Dilling, where they had broken a similar siege in late January. Another army source stated that “after fierce battles on the road between Dilling and Kadugli, our forces defeated the RSF and their supporting Hilu militia, inflicting heavy losses upon them.”
Kadugli has been besieged for much of the nearly three-year war by the RSF and an allied faction of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N). The siege has created a dire humanitarian situation, with the United Nations confirming a famine in the city last year. According to recent UN figures, around 80% of Kadugli’s population, estimated at 147,000 people, have fled the city.
The broader Kordofan region has witnessed escalating violence, including deadly drone strikes and clashes that have displaced 88,000 people between October and January. On Monday, Jan Egeland, Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council, described South Kordofan as “Sudan’s most dangerous and neglected front line,” warning that “entire cities are being starved, forcing families to flee with nothing.”
The conflict between the Sudanese army and the RSF, which began in April 2023, has resulted in tens of thousands killed and has displaced approximately 11 million people, creating what the UN calls the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.
The breaking of the Kadugli siege represents a major tactical shift in Sudan’s ongoing conflict. For months, the capital of South Kordofan was encircled by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and their allies, cutting off essential supplies and contributing to a famine confirmed by the UN. The Sudanese army’s successful advance from Dilling to Kadugli reopens a critical lifeline to the city’s remaining population and challenges the RSF’s control over the strategic Kordofan region.
This development follows the RSF’s push to control Sudan’s central corridor after securing significant territory in Darfur. The intense fighting around the Kadugli siege highlights the severe humanitarian toll of the war, with aid organizations issuing stark warnings about starvation and mass displacement. The army’s ability to maintain control of the city will be crucial in determining the future of the Kordofan front and the broader trajectory of the conflict.
According to multiple media sources.
