Senior RSF commander killed in North Kordofan clashes

September 8, 2025 (KAZGEIL) – A senior commander in the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) was killed during heavy fighting with the Sudanese army in North Kordofan on Monday, a significant setback for the RSF’s operations in the strategic region.

The commander, Al-Sadiq Makin, was killed in the Kazgeil area, local sources said. Several social media accounts aligned with the RSF later posted messages mourning his death.

The fighting followed an army advance on Sunday, in which it captured Kazgeil and several other areas south of the state capital El-Obeid. The offensive is part of a wider army campaign to push into South Kordofan and break the RSF siege on the cities of Dilling and Kadugli.

Makin was a prominent RSF operational leader in the Kordofan region and commanded forces in the Abu Zabad sector. He and his troops are accused of widespread human rights violations against civilians in parts of South and West Kordofan.

The RSF launched a counter-attack at dawn on Monday to retake Kazgil, military sources said.

The army repelled the assault with air support, inflicting heavy losses on the RSF, the sources added. Military aircraft conducted strikes on RSF positions in Kazgil and other areas to cut off reinforcement routes.

Pro-army social media channels later broadcast videos showing army soldiers in Kazgil, along with images of destroyed RSF military vehicles and casualties.