Intense fighting is underway in Sudan’s West Kordofan state as the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) attempt to repel an aggressive eastward push by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which is consolidating its control over the neighboring Darfur region. The escalating conflict is coinciding with mounting reports of mass atrocities and a dire humanitarian crisis affecting civilians.
The SAF confirmed on Sunday that its forces successfully repelled a significant RSF assault on the army headquarters in the strategic town of Babnusa, the military’s last major stronghold in West Kordofan. The facility has been subjected to repeated, intense attacks by the paramilitary group.
The RSF, which has spent recent weeks solidifying its grip on Darfur, has been moving aggressively eastward. On Saturday, RSF fighters circulated several videos online, purportedly filmed from inside Babnusa, claiming to show their advance on multiple fronts and promising to “liberate” the area soon.
Satellite imagery analyzed by Al Jazeera, comparing photos taken between September 9 and November 13, revealed extensive damage to SAF facilities in Babnusa. The images showed thick smoke rising from within the army headquarters and significant destruction to surrounding infrastructure, consistent with drone strikes and heavy, repeated shelling that has restricted SAF movements.
However, more recent footage, verified by Al Jazeera’s Sanad fact-checking unit, showed soldiers from the SAF’s 22nd Division celebrating the capture of armored vehicles reportedly abandoned by retreating RSF units in Babnusa, suggesting the army is resisting the push.
Military analysts anticipate continued intense battles across the wider Kordofan region of central Sudan in the coming weeks, as both the SAF and RSF have yet to heed a ceasefire proposal put forward by the United States and regional stakeholders. The RSF is simultaneously targeting strategic locations in the other Kordofan states.
In North Kordofan, the RSF is focused on seizing the strategically vital city of el-Obeid, which hosts a major army airbase and acts as a crucial defensive buffer for the national capital, Khartoum. Government forces announced on Saturday that they had successfully recaptured the towns of Kazqil and Um Dam Haj Ahmed in North Kordofan. The RSF has also set its sights on Kadugli, the capital of South Kordofan.
The continued fighting has exacerbated a catastrophic humanitarian situation, particularly in the RSF-dominated areas to the west. Following the fall of el-Fasher in Darfur last month-the SAF’s final stronghold in the region after an 18-month siege—reports of mass displacement, acute hunger, and atrocities against the civilian population have become increasingly urgent.
The Sudan Doctors Network released a statement on Sunday confirming 32 cases of rape among girls who had recently arrived in the nearby town of Tawila from el-Fasher over the past week. The victims reported being assaulted by RSF fighters either within el-Fasher or during their flight from the city.
Speaking to Al Jazeera from Tawila, Tom Fletcher, the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, described the civilian experience as “unimaginable suffering,” declaring that “Darfur has become the world’s capital of human suffering.” He added that international funding and support remain woefully inadequate to address the immense needs on the ground.
According to Colonel Hatem Karim al-Falahi, a military expert speaking to Al Jazeera, the outcome of the current fighting in Kordofan will be pivotal in shaping the course of future military operations across the country.
Colonel al-Falahi stressed that the SAF’s ability to successfully defend strategic cities such as Babnusa will significantly impact the country’s overall military and regional balance in the coming weeks. As such, the army has been actively working to reinforce its defensive lines and utilize airdrops and other forms of air support to sustain its besieged positions.
