Sudanese army advances on Al-Nahud after major gains in West Kordofan

KHARTOUM – The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and allied armed groups have made significant territorial gains in West Kordofan State, capturing Al-Khuwai and several surrounding villages in an offensive that has brought government-aligned forces closer to Al-Nahud, a major stronghold of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

The offensive began on Thursday, November 5, when army units and fighters from the Joint Force of former Darfur rebel movements attacked RSF positions west and south of El-Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan State, capturing Umm Sumayma along the road leading into West Kordofan.

The army and its allies subsequently expanded their operations, advancing southwest from northern North Kordofan before pushing south toward West Kordofan. Other forces moved west from Umm Sumayma, culminating in the capture of Al-Khuwai, the administrative headquarters of Al-Khuwai Locality, and several nearby settlements, including Serif Ankoush, Umm Labana and Al-Dudiya.

On Saturday, the army and its allies captured Al-Murkab and several other villages, bringing them closer to Al-Nahud, approximately 60 kilometres west of Al-Murkab.

Al-Khuwai is one of the main towns in northern West Kordofan and had been under RSF control since May 2025. Its recapture represents a significant territorial gain for government-aligned forces, which have been seeking to expand westward from El-Obeid following months of fighting around the city.

Sudans Post geolocated video footage showing Joint Force fighters at the Al-Khuwai Locality headquarters, at 13°05’19.77″N, 29°12’58.60″E. A separate video showing members of the Islamist Al-Baraa Ibn Malik militia outside Al-Khuwai Police Headquarters was geolocated to 13°05’24.63″N, 29°13’04.15″E.

In a statement issued on Friday, the Joint Force said its fighters and the Sudanese army had engaged RSF forces in heavy fighting across the Kordofan front, capturing Al-Khuwai, Serif Ankoush, Umm Labana, Al-Dudiya and other nearby areas.

The group claimed that the fighting had resulted in the death of an RSF field commander and several fighters. It also reported destroying 20 combat vehicles and capturing another 40. These casualty and equipment claims could not be independently verified.

The statement was signed by Major Mutawakkil Abu Jaga, spokesperson for the Joint Force of Armed Struggle Movements.

The Sudanese army had not issued a separate statement on the capture of Al-Khuwai at the time of publication. The Joint Force has taken a prominent role in publicising the latest operations, including the capture of Umm Sumayma west of El-Obeid last week.

The latest gains have brought the army and its allies closer to Al-Nahud, one of the RSF’s most important positions in West Kordofan and a major gateway to Darfur.

The RSF captured Al-Nahud on May 1, 2025, after attacking the city from the north and west. The offensive forced government troops to withdraw from the city centre before the paramilitary group overran the headquarters of the army’s 18th Infantry Brigade, which had been responsible for defending the area.

Al-Nahud had served as the temporary administrative capital of West Kordofan after the RSF captured Al-Fula, the state capital, in June 2024. Its fall was a major setback for the army, which subsequently lost its remaining strongholds in the state.

The RSF captured Al-Khuwai later in May 2025, leaving the army increasingly confined to its positions farther south. By December, the paramilitary group had also taken Babanusa and Heglig, effectively bringing the whole of West Kordofan under its control.

Friday’s operation therefore marks the army’s return to a locality it lost more than a year ago. The capture of Al-Khuwai also gives government-aligned forces access to roads leading west toward Al-Nahud, where the RSF maintains a substantial military presence.

The military importance of Al-Nahud extends beyond West Kordofan. The city lies along the Al-Sadarat Highway, which rans through Wad Banda locality to North Darfur State. This highway, also known as Al-Inqaz Al-Qarbi, is a major transport route connecting central Sudan with Darfur.

Regaining the city would give the army a potential route for moving troops and supplies farther west, although the RSF continues to hold territory between the army’s current positions and Darfur.