Sudanese army seizes Al-Hamadi, retakes areas west of El-Obeid

The Sudanese army has taken control of Al-Hamadi in South Kordofan following battles with the Rapid Support Forces that began on Thursday morning. The advance coincided with army operations on three fronts in the Kordofan region, resulting in the recapture of new areas west of El-Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan.

The military gains include regaining control of Abu Qoud, Al-Mamsouka, and several villages west of El-Obeid, after the army made progress along this axis. Meanwhile, forces on the southern front seized areas south of the city before entering and securing Al-Hamadi.

On the northwestern front, Sudanese forces continued their advance toward West Kordofan, having reached Umm Marahik two days ago as part of ongoing operations in the region.

These movements aim to reach Rapid Support Forces strongholds in West Kordofan, one of their main bases in the region, in preparation for opening the route toward Darfur in western Sudan.

The Rapid Support Forces currently control all five Darfur states out of Sudan’s 18 states, except for parts of North and West Darfur, which remain under army control. The army holds most of the remaining states, including the capital, Khartoum.

Darfur accounts for about one-fifth of Sudan’s territory, which exceeds 1.8 million square kilometers. Most of the country’s estimated 50 million people live in areas under army control.

These developments come amid the ongoing war between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces since April 2023, which has killed tens of thousands, displaced around 13 million people, and triggered famine in one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.