Sudanese army recaptures strategic North Kordofan town of Sodri

Overview

Updated 3 days ago

The Sudanese Armed Forces has extended its gains in North Kordofan since recapturing Sodri on September 25. On October 2, the army said it captured al-Mazroub, a town about 130 kilometers northwest of El-Obeid.

Al-Mazroub served as an RSF supply hub and livestock market. It sits on desert tracks the RSF uses to move reinforcements between North Kordofan and Darfur. Sudanese military sources told Ahram Online the army will complete its North Kordofan takeover, then push into West Kordofan toward Al-Nuhud and Al-Khoy.

Why it matters

The army's advance through North Kordofan is cutting RSF supply lines into Darfur, where the paramilitary force still holds most of the territory.

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Key Indicators

14M+

People displaced since April 2023

UN data on total displacement from the civil war, including refugees.

8.6M

People internally displaced

UN figures show 8.6 million internally displaced, down from a peak of 11.6 million in January 2025.

28M

People facing acute hunger

UN estimate of food insecurity across Sudan.

3+ years

RSF control of Sodri before recapture

The town fell to the RSF in the early months of the war and was held until September 2026.

Areas around Sodri retaken on Sept 17

Army and allied forces reported retaking outlying villages before the town assault.

Voices

Curated perspectives — historical figures and your fellow readers.

Ever wondered what historical figures would say about today's headlines?

People Involved

Abdel Fattah al‑Burhan

Chief of the Sudanese Armed Forces and de facto head of state

Directing army campaigns across North Kordofan; says army won't compromise

Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo "Hemedti"

Commander of the Rapid Support Forces

Sending reinforcements toward Kordofan after losing Sodri and al-Mazroub

Mohamed Deidan

Spokesman for SAF Special Operations forces, western Kordofan sector

Announced the capture of Sodri

Pekka Haavisto

UN Secretary-General's Personal Envoy for Sudan

Leading shuttle diplomacy between the warring parties

Organizations Involved

Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF)

Military

Captured Sodri and al-Mazroub, pushing toward Umm Badr

The official army of Sudan, commanded by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.

Rapid Support Forces (RSF)

Paramilitary force

Lost Sodri and al-Mazroub to army offensive in North Kordofan

A paramilitary force that grew from the Janjaweed militias of the Darfur conflict.

Joint Force of Armed Movements

Coalition of Darfur armed movements

Fighting alongside the SAF against the RSF

A coalition of Darfur-based armed groups allied with the Sudanese army.

Timeline

2023 September 2026

10 events Latest: September 27th, 2026 · 1 week ago

Tap a bar to jump to that date

September 2026
Burhan says army won't compromise
Latest Statement

Burhan says Sudan rejects pressure and blackmail, speaking at an event to support the health sector in Khartoum.
September 27th, 2026
Army intensifies operations around Umm Badr and Mazroub
Military operation

The army steps up operations southeast of Umm Badr and in the Mazroub area, a day after retaking Sodri. Air strikes target RSF positions west and south of Sodri.
September 26th, 2026
Army announces recapture of Sodri
Territorial change

SAF declares Sodri liberated after fierce fighting, inflicting heavy losses on the RSF.
September 25th, 2026
Army positions near Sodri
Military operation

Deidan says troops moved close to Sodri ahead of the assault.
September 22nd, 2026
Army recaptures Al-Jamama
Military advance

SAF takes the area northeast of Sodri after clashes with the RSF.
September 19th, 2026
Army retakes 11 areas around Sodri
Military advance

SAF and allies report retaking outlying villages near Sodri, Umm Bader and Hamrat al-Sheikh.
September 17th, 2026
Army takes Hamrat al-Waz
Military advance

SAF captures the town in Jabra al-Sheikh locality, extending its control.
September 6th, 2026
July 2026
Army reports gains in North Kordofan
Military advance

SAF captures Bara and secures the road linking it to Omdurman.
July 2026
April 2023
Civil war erupts in Sudan
Conflict

Fighting breaks out between the SAF and RSF in Khartoum, spreading nationwide.
April 15th, 2023
2023
RSF seizes Sodri
Territorial change

Rapid Support Forces take control of Sodri during the war's early campaigns, holding it until September 2026.
2023

Scenarios

Army pushes toward North Darfur, threatens El Fasher

Possible Resolves by Mar 25, 2027

Discussed by: Al Jazeera military analysts, Joint Force spokesman Mutawakkil Ali Wakil Abuja

With Sodri secured, the army and allied movements could push northwest through Umm Bader toward the North Darfur border. Military expert Osman Siraj called the capture a major strategic gain that enables the full encirclement of Al-Khwei and Al-Nahud. The Joint Force says Sodri is the gateway to El Fasher, the North Darfur capital, where control of supply routes could decide the next phase of the war.

RSF stages counteroffensive to retake Sodri

Possible Resolves by Mar 25, 2027

Discussed by: Sudan Now, military observers

The RSF has not publicly responded to the army's announcement. The paramilitary force has shown it can regroup after setbacks, and a counterattack would aim to reopen supply routes west into Darfur before the army fortifies its position. Control of Sodri remains contested until the RSF's response is known.

Ceasefire talks gain ground as battlefield positions shift

Unlikely Resolves by Sep 25, 2027

Discussed by: UN envoy Pekka Haavisto

Haavisto says both sides still seek military gains before negotiating, but international diplomacy has accelerated. Confidence-building measures under discussion include prisoner exchanges and release of civilian detainees. A ceasefire could freeze current frontlines, with the army holding more of North Kordofan than it did a year ago.

Army completes North Kordofan takeover, pushes into West Kordofan

Possible Resolves by End of 2026

Discussed by: Sudanese military sources, Ahram Online

Sudanese military sources told Ahram Online the army will complete its North Kordofan takeover, then push into West Kordofan toward Al-Nuhud and Al-Khoy, both of which remain under RSF control. Such a move could open a path toward Darfur.

Historical Context

3 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

1983-2005

Second Sudanese Civil War (1983-2005)

A two-decade north-south war killed an estimated 2 million people and displaced 4 million. It ended with the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement, which led to South Sudan's independence in 2011.

Then

The peace agreement ended Africa's longest-running civil war at the time.

Now

Sudan's southern region seceded, but Darfur and other western conflicts continued.

Why this matters now

Sudan's history shows its internal wars persist for decades, and external mediation usually becomes the only exit.

2003-present

Darfur conflict and the Janjaweed (2003)

Rebels in Darfur rose up in 2003. Khartoum armed Arab militias, later known as the Janjaweed, to crush them. Hemedti's RSF grew out of these militias.

Then

The Janjaweed carried out widespread atrocities, leading to genocide charges against al-Bashir.

Now

The RSF became a powerful paramilitary force with deep roots in Darfur, now fighting for control of the region.

Why this matters now

The RSF's origins in Darfur explain why its grip on that region and Kordofan matters so much in the current war.

October 2021

The 2021 military coup (October 2021)

Burhan and Hemedti jointly seized power, dissolving the civilian government that had shared power after al-Bashir's 2019 fall. The partnership lasted until April 2023, when they turned on each other.

Then

International donors cut aid, and the economy deteriorated further.

Now

The rupture between the two men sparked the current civil war, now in its third year.

Why this matters now

The current war is a split between two men who once governed Sudan together; their personal rivalry drives the conflict.