Sudanese army retakes key city in North Kordofan state
January 30, 2025 (KHARTOUM/UM RAWA) – Sudan’s army said on Thursday it had recaptured the strategic city of Um Rawaba in North Kordofan state from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and was advancing further in the capital Khartoum, potentially shifting the momentum in the 21-month-old conflict.
The army said its forces had “liberated” Um Rawaba, the second-largest city in North Kordofan after the state capital, El Obeid, following a series of clashes with the RSF. The paramilitary group seized control of the town in the early days of the war, which erupted in mid-April last year and used it as a key command centre for its operations in the state.
Video footage shared on army social media platforms showed soldiers celebrating in Um Rawaba, greeted by cheering residents.
The recapture of Um Rawaba marks a significant victory for the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), which has been gradually advancing from Tendelti in White Nile state, where its “Al-Sayyad” mobile force, primarily composed of troops from the 16th Infantry Division, has been based. The advance had been repeatedly stalled by fierce RSF resistance.
The SAF aims to break the RSF siege on El Obeid, which is facing a deepening humanitarian crisis due to restrictions imposed by the paramilitary group on the movement of aid and commercial goods.
Gains in Khartoum
Military sources said the army and allied forces continued to make headway in Khartoum. They reported that the SAF had gained control of parts of the Kobar, Azba, and Kafouri neighbourhoods in Khartoum Bahri, previously considered RSF strongholds.
Forces from the “Al-Kadru” combat camp and the Hattab operational base also seized control of the Dar Douq and Nabta neighbourhoods, pushing towards East Nile.
In Ombada, western Omdurman, SAF forces advancing from Karari attacked RSF positions in the “26th, 27th” districts, Al-Fataymab village, and the 15th and 21st districts.
Videos shared by the army showed soldiers evacuating civilians from Ombada after fighting reached residential areas.
While the RSF initially controlled large swathes of Ombada, the army has retaken most of the locality in recent months. The RSF presence is now largely confined to western areas and the vicinity of the Libya market.
The army announced on Jan. 25 that it had completed the second phase of its operations in Khartoum, linking forces advancing from Omdurman and North Bahri with troops stationed at the Signal Corps headquarters in southern Khartoum Bahri. This effectively broke the siege on the Army General Command in central Khartoum.