KHARTOUM: Sudan’s army claimed on Monday that it had broken a long-running siege imposed by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on the town of Dilling in South Kordofan, a development that comes amid intensifying fighting across the wider Kordofan region.
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In a statement, the military said its forces had successfully reopened the main road to Dilling after carrying out what it described as a decisive operation that inflicted heavy losses on the RSF. The army said it had secured both the northern and southern approaches to the town, which had been cut off for more than a year and a half.
🟢 This is hugely significant; Sudan Army forces and Gov allied forces have taken Habila bringing them close to breaking the siege on the city of Al Dilling.
Previous attempts to approach via the road from the North repeatedly failed because the RSF was able to attack from the… pic.twitter.com/y5tk2d8YGW
— Mohanad (@MohanadElbalal) January 26, 2026
Sudan has been gripped by a brutal conflict since April 2023 between the regular army and the RSF, a war that has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions. According to the United Nations, the fighting has triggered the world’s largest displacement and hunger crisis, with around 11 million people uprooted from their homes.
The latest advance near Dilling comes as the army seeks to halt RSF gains across Kordofan. After capturing the army’s last stronghold in western Darfur last October, the RSF shifted its focus eastward, tightening control over West Kordofan and seizing Heglig, home to Sudan’s largest oil field. The paramilitary group has also intensified its siege of Kadugli, the capital of South Kordofan, where famine has already been confirmed.
The UN has warned of rising atrocities following the RSF’s capture of El Fasher, including reports of mass killings, abductions and looting, cautioning that similar abuses could spread to Kordofan. More than 65,000 people have fled the region since October, according to UN figures.
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Separately, the UN migration agency reported that over three million displaced Sudanese have returned home, largely following army advances in late 2024 and the recapture of Khartoum in March 2025. Despite these returns, heavy fighting and humanitarian needs persist across large parts of the country.