Sudan army captures key South Kordofan town, gains in Omdurman
May 13, 2025 (OMDURMAN) – Sudan’s army advanced on Tuesday to seize the town of Al-Hamadi in South Kordofan state, a key step in its push to break the months-long siege of Dilling city, and also reported fresh gains against Rapid Support Forces (RSF) strongholds in southern Omdurman.
Dilling, South Kordofan’s second-largest city, has endured a severe siege for months, imposed by territorial divisions among the army, the RSF, and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) faction led by Abdelaziz al-Hilu. The siege has triggered a humanitarian crisis, with reports of famine due to acute shortages of food and medicine.
Military sources told Sudan Tribune that an army mobile force, “Al-Sayyad,” had taken control of Al-Hamadi. The sources added that the army resumed ground operations late Monday night, targeting areas south of El Obeid (Al-Abyad) in North Kordofan. Fierce battles there led to the capture of Al-Hamadi, an administrative hub for the Hawazma tribe’s “Nazira” (tribal administration) in both North and South Kordofan.
Al-Hamadi, about 26 km (16 miles) from the strategic town of Al-Dubaybat, previously had a significant RSF presence, the sources said. According to military sources, the army and its allies aim to push further into South Kordofan to break the Dilling siege and also advance on Abu Zabad and Al-Fulah in West Kordofan state.
These operations in South Kordofan run parallel to fighting in West Kordofan, where army-allied joint forces have been battling the RSF.
The RSF had captured Al-Nuhud, West Kordofan’s administrative capital, and nearby Al-Khuwayy locality earlier in May.
Clashes in Omdurman
In Omdurman, the twin city of the capital Khartoum, clashes between the army and RSF in the southern Salha district continued for a third day, military sources said.
The army secured several sites in the Al-Jami’a neighbourhood and all of Al-Shaqla neighbourhood on Tuesday, including the strategic Omdurman Islamic University campus, the sources added. The university campus features many tall buildings previously used by RSF snipers.
In western Omdurman, an alleged army drone strike on a crowded market in Dar es Salaam’s Block 27, an RSF-held area, killed at least 10 civilians, local sources reported.
The humanitarian and security situation in western Omdurman is reportedly worsening, with residents citing increased RSF abuses against civilians, including killings, looting, and arbitrary arrests.
This reported rise in violations comes as the army nears control of all of western Omdurman, including the key Omdurman-Bara export route, still largely held by the RSF.