The Sudanese army and its allied forces announced on Saturday that they had recaptured the city of Bara and the strategic areas of Al-Baraka and Um Sayala in North Kordofan State following intense clashes with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

The operation marks one of the most significant territorial gains for the military in North Kordofan in recent months, strengthening its position around the state capital El Obeid and improving access toward Omdurman.

Army Secures Multiple Towns

Joint Force spokesperson Mutawakil Ali Wakeel said the Sudanese army, the Joint Force, Qashan forces, and supporting troops had successfully secured Al-Baraka, Um Sayala, Um Qurfa, Jabrat Al-Sheikh, and Bara.

Video footage circulated on social media showed fighters from the Sudan Shield Forces inside Um Sayala, while other allied units appeared in Bara after the fighting subsided.

Military officials said 73 heavily armed RSF vehicles were destroyed during the clashes, while additional vehicles were captured. They also reported that numerous RSF fighters and officers were killed, although independent verification of the figures was not immediately possible.

Strategic Importance of Um Sayala

The capture of Um Sayala is considered particularly important because the town lies near the main export road linking North Kordofan to Omdurman. Control of the area gives the military a new supply route to El Obeid and is expected to reduce operational pressure on Khartoum and White Nile State.

Analysts say securing the road corridor could help the army improve troop movements and logistics while limiting RSF operations along a critical transportation network.

Bara's Tactical Value

Bara, located about 45 kilometers east of El Obeid, is the second-largest city in North Kordofan and has changed hands several times during the conflict. Its recapture strengthens the army's defensive belt around El Obeid and may help prevent further RSF advances from the east.

The nearby town of Jabrat Al-Sheikh is also considered strategically important because it serves as a major market for crops and livestock, supporting surrounding pastoralist communities and acting as a key commercial hub along the regional export route.

Government Calls Advance a Critical Development

Darfur Governor Minni Arko Minawi, who oversees the Joint Force, said on social media that "precise and coordinated operations" had broken through RSF defensive lines and inflicted heavy personnel and material losses.

Sudan's Ministry of Defence described the simultaneous advances on the Bara and Um Sayala fronts as a critical development in North Kordofan aimed at securing civilian infrastructure across Kordofan and Darfur.

The ministry also released video footage of ongoing operations in Um Sayala, saying that coordinated offensives across multiple sectors were continuing under the direction of the Armed Forces General Command.

Senior Commander Killed

During the offensive, the Sudan Liberation Movement announced the death of Major General Abdel Aziz Ismail Abakar, a prominent field commander known by the nickname "Mr Attack 77." The movement said he was killed while taking part in the operation.

Potential Route to Omdurman

Military officials say control of Bara and Jabrat Al-Sheikh effectively shields El Obeid from eastern attacks and could pave the way for reopening a direct ground route to Omdurman if remaining RSF positions along the corridor are cleared.

The latest advances come as fighting between the Sudanese army and the RSF continues across several regions, including Kordofan, Darfur, and Khartoum, in a conflict that has displaced millions of people and caused widespread destruction since it erupted in April 2023. (ILKHA)