Sudan’s army and its allied Joint Force said on Friday they had recaptured the strategic town of Al-Khuway in West Kordofan state following heavy fighting with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The Joint Force, an alliance of former rebel movements from Darfur fighting alongside the army, said its troops had taken control of Al-Khuway, Sarif Ankoush, Um Labana, Al-Dawdiya and several other areas during military operations launched early on Friday.
Al-Khuway lies along road networks linking North and West Kordofan with parts of the Darfur region. These routes are important for military movements, supply operations and commercial transportation, making the town strategically significant in the conflict between the army and the RSF.
Its recapture could strengthen the army’s position in West Kordofan and improve its ability to advance towards areas under RSF control in Darfur. The surrounding region is also important for livestock trading and gum Arabic production.
In a statement seen by Radio Tamazuj, Joint Force spokesperson Major Mutwakil Abu Ja said the fighting had inflicted heavy losses on the RSF, including the killing of a commander leading its forces in the area.
The force also claimed to have destroyed 20 RSF combat vehicles and seized another 40, along with military equipment. These claims could not be independently verified.
Darfur regional governor Minni Arko Minnawi welcomed the recapture of Al-Khuway in a post on X, describing the town as strategically important for further military advances and the eventual return of displaced people.
“Al-Khuway is not just a town being liberated; it is a route towards Umm Dafuq and the beginning of the return of refugees and displaced people to their homes, the recovery of stolen rights, and the restoration of land and dignity,” Minnawi said.
Videos circulated on social media accounts affiliated with the army and the Joint Force showed soldiers and allied fighters at Al-Khuway police station and elsewhere in the area.
The RSF could not immediately be reached for comment.
The RSF seized Al-Khuway in May 2025 following renewed fighting with the Sudanese army. The army had briefly regained control of the town before the paramilitary group reasserted its presence later that month.
The fighting displaced thousands of households. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that 2,715 households were displaced from Al-Khuway town between May 29 and 30, 2025.
Earlier on Friday, the army and the Joint Force also announced that they had recaptured Sarif Ankoush and surrounding areas following clashes with the RSF. The Joint Force said its troops were conducting search operations and pursuing remaining RSF fighters in the area.
Drone incident
Separately, the Sudanese army said its air defences had shot down a drone over the Dandaro area of Blue Nile state on Friday afternoon.
The military described the aircraft as a “hostile strategic drone” and said it had entered Sudanese airspace from neighbouring Ethiopia. The army did not identify the drone’s operator or intended target.
Sudan has been engulfed in war since April 2023, when fighting erupted between the army and the RSF following a dispute over plans to integrate the paramilitary group into the regular military.
The conflict has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions, according to humanitarian agencies, triggering one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises.
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