KHARTOUM (HAN) — Sudan’s army has reported major battlefield gains against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), advancing closer to key strategic towns and intensifying its aerial bombardments in Darfur. The developments mark one of the most significant escalations in the nearly 17-month war that has devastated the country and displaced millions.
Military officials said Tuesday that government troops captured a vital base located just 60 kilometers from East Bara, bringing the army within striking distance of the town for the first time since the conflict erupted in April 2023. The advance is seen as a symbolic and strategic breakthrough, as East Bara has long been considered an RSF stronghold in central Sudan.
“This is a decisive moment in our operations,” a senior Sudanese military official told reporters, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief the media. “The capture of this base opens the way for further advances and weakens the enemy’s grip on the region.”
In parallel with ground operations, the army has intensified its use of drone warfare. Late Monday, Sudanese forces carried out heavy drone strikes in Nyala, the capital of South Darfur, targeting what officials described as the RSF’s administrative headquarters. The facility was reportedly established by RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, widely known as “Hemedti,” who declared Nyala a key command center for his fighters.
Residents in Nyala reported a series of loud explosions that shook the city overnight, with plumes of smoke rising from targeted areas. While the extent of casualties remains unclear, military sources said the strikes were aimed at crippling the RSF’s command-and-control capabilities rather than civilian infrastructure.
“These operations are designed to dismantle the militia’s capacity to wage war and protect the sovereignty of Sudan,” the army said in a statement released Tuesday.
The RSF has not yet issued a formal response to the latest military claims. However, the group has frequently accused the army of indiscriminate bombardments that harm civilians, particularly in densely populated urban centers such as Nyala.
The conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF erupted in April 2023 after weeks of mounting tensions over plans to integrate the RSF into the regular army. What began as a political standoff quickly spiraled into one of Africa’s bloodiest wars in decades, with both sides accused of war crimes, including massacres, sexual violence, and forced displacement.
According to the United Nations, the fighting has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced over 8 million, both internally and across borders. The humanitarian situation remains dire, with widespread food shortages, collapsing health services, and limited humanitarian access in conflict zones.
International mediators, including the African Union and the United States, have repeatedly called for an immediate ceasefire and a return to political negotiations. Despite several attempts at peace talks, both sides have remained entrenched, each seeking a decisive military victory.
Analysts say the army’s latest advances near East Bara, combined with the aerial campaign in Nyala, may shift momentum in favor of the government. However, the RSF continues to maintain strongholds in several regions, particularly in Darfur and parts of the capital, Khartoum.
For now, Sudan remains trapped in a brutal war with no clear end in sight, as civilians bear the brunt of a conflict that has shattered the nation’s fragile transition to democracy.
