Sudan army seizes key towns in Kordofan as war rages

On July 31, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) recaptured the town of Bara and the nearby localities of Al‑Baraka and Um Sayala in North Kordofan, securing the 350‑km highway that links Khartoum to the north. SAF officials described the operation as the most successful ground offensive in months.

The rival Rapid Support Forces (RSF) denied losing the territory, but the Centre for Information Resilience confirmed SAF presence in the reclaimed areas. RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti) warned that field commanders would now have full autonomy to launch offensive actions.

The clashes continue amid a United Nations‑reported humanitarian crisis. The UN estimates that 33.7 million people will need assistance through 2026 and that about 14 million have been displaced. A recent UN report also alleged a supply network using Boeing 727 aircraft to move weapons from Chad to Darfur in support of the RSF.