Sudan’s RSF shuts markets and cuts internet in West Kordofan city

August 25, 2026 (AL-NUHUD) – Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) ordered the indefinite closure of all public markets and shut down Starlink satellite internet services in the West Kordofan city of Al-Nuhud on Tuesday, a local volunteer group said.

The measures coincide with the arrival of RSF military reinforcements from the neighbouring Darfur region as the force prepares to push toward North Kordofan, according to military sources.

The Dar Hamar Emergency Room, a local volunteer network providing mutual aid, said the RSF issued an order forcing markets and satellite communications to close from Wednesday until further notice.

The shutdown threatens to sever critical lifelines for residents and displaced families who rely on satellite internet for mobile banking, remittances, and communication amid widespread cash shortages and service collapses.

The emergency group accused the RSF of intensifying security restrictions, harassment, and looting of civilians across the town, warning that the closures will worsen the humanitarian crisis and deepen the area’s isolation.

It called on regional and international humanitarian agencies to intervene to ensure civilian protection and restore access to vital markets and communication networks.

Separately, local sources reported that Sudanese army drones carried out heavy airstrikes on several RSF positions across Al-Nuhud and surrounding outskirts.

The escalation follows a Sudanese army offensive on July 25 that recaptured broad swathes of North Kordofan, including the strategic Export Road, pushing RSF units back toward western localities including Um Badr, Sodari, Hamrat al-Sheikh, and Al-Mazroub.