Sudanese army recaptures strategic North Kordofan town of Sodari

September 25, 2026 (EL OBEID) – The Sudanese armed forces and allied fighters recaptured the town of Sodari in North Kordofan state on Friday, military authorities and field sources said, pushing back the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

A spokesperson for the armed forces said in an official statement that government troops and allied units took the town following heavy fighting, inflicting significant losses in personnel and equipment on RSF fighters.

Fighters with the Joint Force, a coalition of former rebel factions allied with the military, published video clips purporting to show their forces inside the northern town.

The advance follows a broader military offensive launched in late July, when the army seized control of the strategic export route connecting the state capital, El Obeid, to Khartoum, alongside several towns including Bara, Jibrah al-Sheikh, Um Qirfa, Jurayjikh, and Um Sayyala.

Military officials said a subsequent sweep across North Kordofan earlier this month brought roughly 10 additional localities under government control.

Sources on the ground speaking to Sudan Tribune said troops launched a targeted assault on Friday against RSF defensive positions around Sodari, overrunning what had served as a primary operational base for the paramilitary force in the state.

The loss of Sodari further shrinks the RSF footprint in North Kordofan, leaving the group’s presence primarily concentrated in the Al-Mazroub and Um Badr areas within West Bara locality.