Sudan army resumes heavy air strikes in South Kordofan

April 22, 2026 (DILLING) – Sudanese heavy military aircraft returned to the skies over Kordofan on Wednesday for the first time in months, bombing Rapid Support Forces (RSF) targets around the city of Dilling in South Kordofan state.

The army had previously halted air operations over the Kordofan and Darfur regions after RSF air defences successfully downed several fighters and cargo planes, the last of which was lost in Babanusa, West Kordofan.

In response to those losses, the military had increased its reliance on drones. These unmanned crafts consistently targeted the RSF and its ally, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N), in Dilling and nearby towns, including Abu Zabad, Al-Fula, Al-Mujlad, and Lagawa, causing significant casualties.

Eyewitnesses told Sudan Tribune they saw MiG fighter jets flying over Dilling and its outskirts for the first time in many months. They reported that the aircraft carried out heavy strikes on positions in the Al-Dulaymah, Al-Hujayrat, and Birno areas.

Dilling, the second-largest city in South Kordofan, is frequently targeted by aerial and artillery attacks from the RSF-SPLM-N alliance. The coalition also launches periodic ground offensives, attempting to seize control of the densely populated city.

On February 10, the army announced it had neutralized a K-2000 defence system in the Al-Dubeibat area of South Kordofan and destroyed drones at Nyala Airport. These operations were part of a broader military strategy to paralyze the RSF’s defensive and offensive capabilities.