Sudan’s army said on Friday it had captured the strategic Sodari area in North Kordofan state after heavy fighting with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), in the latest advance by government forces in the region.
The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) said its troops, backed by allied forces, had taken control of Sodari and inflicted heavy losses on the RSF in personnel and equipment.
Video clips circulated on army-linked social media platforms and reviewed by Radio Tamazuj show SAF troops and allied Joint Forces members celebrating the capture of Sodari town.
The RSF did not immediately comment on the army’s announcement.
Sodari is in northwestern North Kordofan, an area that has become a key front in the fighting as the army and allied forces push westwards towards Darfur. The area lies along routes connecting North Kordofan with North Darfur and West Kordofan, giving it importance for military movements and supply lines.
The army’s capture of Sodari extends its control in the locality, while the RSF continues to hold Umm Badr and Hamrat al-Sheikh.
The RSF also maintains positions in Abu Qa’ud, Al-Mazroub, Umm Sumaima and Kazgil.
The capture of Sodari follows a series of advances by the army and allied forces in North Kordofan. On Sept. 18, the military said it had captured 11 areas in the state, while military sources reported that its forces were advancing towards Sodari, Hamrat al-Sheikh and Al-Mazroub.
The army’s latest advance comes as fighting intensifies in North Kordofan, where both the SAF and RSF have used drones and other weapons. The military said on Thursday that its air defences had shot down an RSF drone near Al-Kukaiti, as fighting continued across the state.
Sudan’s war, which began in April 2023, has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions, according to the United Nations and other humanitarian agencies.
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