KHARTOUM — The leader of Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemetti, has vowed to advance toward Khartoum after the Sudanese army recaptured key positions in North Kordofan, as fears grow of renewed fighting between the rival forces.
Hemetti said the RSF would continue its military campaign and move toward the capital, following recent battlefield developments that have seen the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) make gains in strategic areas of North Kordofan.
The developments have raised concerns over a possible escalation of hostilities, with the Tasis coalition warning that renewed military confrontations could further worsen Sudan’s humanitarian crisis and delay efforts toward a political settlement.
North Kordofan has emerged as a crucial front in the conflict because of its strategic location connecting central Sudan with the western regions, including Darfur, where the RSF maintains significant influence.
The Sudanese army and the RSF have been fighting since April 2023 after a power struggle between the two sides erupted into a nationwide war. The conflict has killed thousands of people, displaced millions, and created a severe humanitarian emergency.
Both sides have repeatedly claimed military victories as battles continue over control of key cities, supply routes, and strategic territories.
Regional and international actors have called for an end to the fighting and a return to negotiations, warning that continued military escalation risks further fragmentation and instability in Sudan.
