Sudan army repels RSF attack on key North Kordofan town
August 13, 2026 (JABRAT AL-SHAIKH/EL OBEID) – The Sudanese army said on Thursday it had repelled a major attack by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on the town of Jabrat al-Sheikh in North Kordofan state, chasing the retreating fighters to the borders of the neighbouring Darfur region.
The early morning assault on Jabrat al-Sheikh was the largest RSF offensive in weeks, following nearly two weeks of military mobilizations originating from Darfur.
The army had recaptured the town and surrounding areas on July 25 during a swift operation that secured a vital trade and supply route, forcing RSF fighters back toward western North Kordofan hubs such as Um Badr, Sodi, Hamrat al-Sheikh, and El Mazroub.
An army spokesperson said in a statement that government forces and allied combatants repulsed an attacking force of more than 250 armed vehicles, inflicting heavy casualties and equipment losses before pursuing RSF remnants toward Darfur.
Pro-Joint Force media outlets published video footage displaying dozens of destroyed and captured combat vehicles alongside detained RSF personnel.
By targeting Jabrat al-Sheikh, the RSF seeks to cut off crucial transport routes and heighten pressure on El Obeid, the state capital of North Kordofan, as well as Omdurman in Khartoum state.
West of El Obeid, the RSF also launched a surprise attack on Thursday against the town of Al-Ayara, breaking a period of stalemate along the western front.
A military source told Sudan Tribune that army troops and allied forces successfully repelled the attack at Al-Ayara, using drones to destroy several RSF vehicles.
The RSF launched the early morning attack, its largest in the area in weeks, following nearly two days of unprecedented troop buildups originating from the neighbouring Darfur region.
The offensive targeted defences around Jabrat al-Shaikh from three directions, involving an estimated 200 RSF vehicles, including armoured units, the military sources told Sudan Tribune.
The army and its allies repulsed the assault after heavy fighting, destroying numerous military vehicles, capturing roughly 60 others, and killing dozens of RSF fighters, sources said.
Media channels affiliated with the Joint Forces released footage showing destroyed and captured vehicles, as well as several RSF combatants taken prisoner.
The military had previously recaptured Jabrat al-Shaikh and surrounding areas on July 25, securing a major export route and forcing RSF fighters to retreat westward toward Um Badir, Sodi, Hamrat al-Shaikh, and Al-Mazroub.
Control over Jabrat al-Shaikh remains critical to the region’s transport corridor, which the RSF has sought to sever to exert further pressure on the North Kordofan state capital of El Obeid and nearby Omdurman.