RSF claims control of Babanusa, ‘last SAF stronghold in West Kordofan’

The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) claim that on Monday, they seized control of the besieged city of Babanusa and the headquarters of the Sudanese Army’s 22nd Infantry Division, described as the last remaining Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) stronghold in West Kordofan.

In a statement on Monday evening on behalf of the Sudan Founding Alliance (Tasees) alliance—which includes the paramilitary RSF militia and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army–North (SPLA-N)—the group said the capture of Babanusa marks “a pivotal milestone” in its campaign against what it characterised as extremist factions within the Sudanese army. The statement added that the operation demonstrates the coalition’s ability to protect civilians and prevent the country from “sliding further into chaos and division.”

The SAF has not released a statement regarding the developments. Attempts by Radio Dabanga to reach the army spokesperson for comment were unsuccessful.

The Tasees Forces reaffirmed what they described as their commitment to the ongoing humanitarian truce and their intention to safeguard civilians and ensure the delivery of aid. The statement asserted that self-defence is a right under international law, accusing the army and allied militias of repeatedly violating the ceasefire.

The alliance also reiterated its willingness to engage in “any credible process” toward a just and lasting peace, one that it said would meet the aspirations of Sudanese citizens for a stable and secure state and curb what it described as the influence of the Muslim Brotherhood within the military.

Military analysts assess implications of RSF advance

Commenting on the developments, military analyst Colonel Hatem Karim El Falahi told Al Jazeera that the RSF’s reported capture of Babanusa gives the group significant operational flexibility to move both north and south, turning the city into a key logistical and strategic hub.

According to El Falahi, much of West Kordofan is now effectively under RSF control, a shift he said provides the force with enhanced mobility. Babanusa, he noted, serves as a major transportation junction that could facilitate further RSF operations in multiple directions.

He added, however, that the Sudanese army is currently advancing from El Khuwei toward En Nahud in an effort to break the siege on Babanusa, along a roughly 175-kilometer route. He described the situation as a “race on the ground” between the two sides.

El Falahi said the army had been attempting to relieve several besieged sectors in the region, but delays had contributed to their fall—similar, he noted, to the recent loss of El Fasher.

He predicted intensifying clashes across three primary fronts: North Kordofan, the El Obeid area, and surrounding localities including Jabra El Sheikh, Sayla, and Bara.

The analyst added that the army is also seeking to consolidate its gains in the south, where it has recaptured several areas. He argued that the army’s ability to mobilise forces and deploy fighter jets, drones, and armoured vehicles will be critical in determining whether it can regain the strategic initiative.