Sudanese army captures 11 areas in North Kordofan advance
September 18, 2026 (EL OBEID) – The Sudanese army said its forces and allied groups recaptured 11 areas in North Kordofan state following fierce battles against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), inflicting heavy losses on the group.
A spokesperson for the Sudanese Armed Forces general command announced in an official statement that government troops liberated Kajmar, Sharshar, Al-Baniyah Al-Kurayniyah, Al-Qulay’at, Awlad Hazmah, Magwildat, Rayshan, Al-Qaa, Ghabat Al-Laqad, Al-Kukaiti, and the surrounding areas of Al-Mazrub.
The spokesperson said military operations would continue until state authority is fully restored, civilians are protected, and RSF elements are completely cleared from the territory. He added that army forces pursued retreating fighters toward the Darfur borders and launched sweeping operations west of the state capital, El Obeid.
On Friday, military units and allied forces pressed their momentum toward the remaining RSF strongholds in the far western part of North Kordofan, breaking out from positions in Jabrat al-Sheikh and Bara.
Military sources told Sudan Tribune that army troops, backed by the Joint Force and special task units, pushed deeper into the Sodari and Hamrat al-Sheikh localities. Heavy fighting forced the RSF to retreat further toward Darfur.
The sources noted that government forces could take complete control of Sodari, Hamrat al-Sheikh, and Al-Mazroub at any moment amid widespread withdrawals by paramilitary personnel.
A member of the Dar Hamar emergency room confirmed massive RSF pullbacks from Hamrat al-Sheikh, Al-Mazroub, and Sodari. The retreating fighters repositioned in En Nahud, Ghebeish, and Wad Banda in West Kordofan.
The emergency room member reported that RSF fighters completely looted the market in Al-Mazroub and assaulted local residents before fleeing the area.
Through this sweeping western offensive, the military aims to advance toward Darfur along the ancient Darb al-Arbaeen (Forty Days Road). The rugged desert route has long served the RSF as a supply corridor for transporting fighters and military equipment from Darfur to the capital, Khartoum.