Sudanese Armed Forces Claim Control of RSF Stronghold in North Kordofan

The Sudanese Armed Forces announced that they have taken control of al-Mazroub in North Kordofan state after intense fighting with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). This development is seen as a significant advancement in the military's efforts to disrupt the RSF's supply lines. In a statement released on Friday, the military reported casualties among RSF forces and significant losses of combat vehicles during the clashes. The Armed Forces encouraged citizens in areas they have liberated to return to their normal lives. A source from the Sudanese army informed Al Jazeera that al-Mazroub was the largest RSF stronghold in North Kordofan. Army Special Forces spokesman Mohammed Deidan told the Anadolu news agency that the city serves as a link between North Kordofan and West Kordofan, and its capture aids the army's strategy to cut off RSF supply routes. Fighting in the Kordofan region has escalated since late 2025, making it a key battleground in the ongoing conflict between the army and the RSF, which has persisted for nearly four years. The Kordofan region, which includes North, West, and South Kordofan states, is where the territories controlled by both factions converge, with the army dominating the north and the RSF in the west, while South Kordofan remains contested. Additionally, the Sudan Doctors Network recently accused the RSF-allied Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) of conducting an artillery attack in Dilling, South Kordofan. The SPLM-N, a faction that split from the SPLM, the ruling party of neighboring South Sudan, has allied with the RSF and is part of the RSF-led parallel government in Sudan.