Sudan Army claims strategic highway in major blow to RSF supply lines,

Sudan’s military said on Sunday it had regained control of the Al Sadarat highway, a key route connecting Khartoum with the city of el-Obeid, after two days of fighting with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

The army said the advance restored its control over several towns and settlements along the corridor, including Um Qurfa and Jarigakh, marking one of its largest offensives against the RSF in recent months. Reuters could not independently verify the battlefield claims, and the RSF did not immediately comment.

The highway has been a strategic objective since fighting erupted in April 2023 between Sudan’s armed forces and the RSF over plans to integrate the paramilitary group into the national army.

In a statement, the military said its forces had inflicted “heavy losses” on RSF fighters and forced them to retreat before securing the highway, which it described as a vital supply route linking Omdurman with el-Obeid.

Military analysts say control of the road could improve the army’s ability to transport troops, fuel, weapons and other supplies to North Kordofan, reducing reliance on longer routes through White Nile State.

The development could also weaken the RSF’s campaign to capture el-Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan state. Control of the city would strengthen the paramilitary group’s position across western Sudan.

Humanitarian implications

The reopening of the route may also improve humanitarian access to communities cut off by months of conflict.

Around 500,000 people remain trapped in el-Obeid, according to United Nations estimates, with aid agencies warning that worsening insecurity and repeated drone attacks have pushed the city closer to a humanitarian crisis.

Aid organizations say restoring access along the highway could facilitate the delivery of food, medical supplies and other essential assistance to civilians who have endured prolonged isolation.

The 350-kilometre (217-mile) highway had largely remained under RSF control since the conflict began, limiting commercial transport and disrupting the movement of humanitarian aid.

The fighting has devastated Sudan, displacing more than 14 million people and leaving tens of thousands dead. The World Health Organization estimates that around 40,000 people have been killed since the war began, although the true toll is believed to be higher.

Last week, UN Women warned that women and girls in el-Obeid face severe risks while trying to access basic necessities such as water.

The agency said many women must choose between collecting water during daylight hours and risking drone strikes, or waiting until after dark and facing the threat of sexual violence.

UN Women has also documented widespread accounts of conflict-related sexual violence throughout the war, saying survivors have reported rape, physical abuse and other atrocities committed in front of family members.