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Sudanese Armed Forces Secure Strategic Omdurman-El Obeid Highway

The Sudanese Armed Forces and allied militias have successfully secured the 350km Omdurman-El Obeid highway following a coordinated offensive. The operation restores critical supply lines to North Kordofan and marks a significant tactical setback for rival paramilitary units.

July 27, 2026 Ahmet Koçak

Cover Image

An armed member of South Sudanese security forces in South Sudan, January 21, 2019 - Reuters

Sudanese government forces have seized complete control of a vital 350-kilometer commercial corridor linking the capital to North Kordofan, dealing a severe logistical blow to rival paramilitary units.

The rapid multipronged offensive restores a critical supply line to El Obeid and marks a significant tactical shift in the central theater of the conflict.

Strategic Corridor Restored

Troops from the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) alongside allied joint militias secured the Omdurman–El Obeid highway during a 48-hour operation spanning July 25 and 26.

The route, also known as the Al Sadarat highway, serves as an essential artery for fuel, medical shipments, and commercial transport.

Advances from three distinct axes culminated in the recapture of Bara, a major regional hub situated 45 kilometers east of El Obeid. The town has repeatedly changed hands since the war began.

Retreating Rapid Support Forces (RSF) elements were subsequently pursued toward the periphery of Umm Dam Haj Ahmed.

Territorial Link-Ups

Parallel maneuvers on the Al Hamra and Rahid al-Nuba fronts resulted in the capture of Umm Sayala, Al-Haqina, and Jabra al-Sheikh. Subsequent pushes on July 26 secured Gereigih, Umm Girfa, and Al-Baraka.

These synchronized operations enabled units advancing from the Khartoum direction to link directly with the 5th Infantry Division stationed in El Obeid.

The convergence effectively relieved pressure on the provincial capital and reinforced its eastern defensive perimeter.

Open-source intelligence assessments estimate the military reclaimed approximately 8,500 square kilometers of territory.

Independent verification of the full extent of permanent territorial control remains pending.

Equipment and Personnel Losses

Military commands characterized the engagements as involving "fierce" fighting, resulting in the destruction or seizure of roughly 73 RSF combat vehicles.

Widespread material abandonment was reported along the retreat routes.

A prominent paramilitary leader, Hajj Hussein, was killed during the operations.

Known as "Al-Boos," Hussein commanded RSF Group 142 and operated as a central power broker within the North Kordofan sector.

Casualty figures provided by allied forces remain unverified by independent monitors.

Follow-On Directives

The successful rural clearances prompted immediate strategic directives from the national military leadership. Army chief Gen.

Abdel Fattah al-Burhan issued orders for a nationwide offensive pushing toward the Central African Republic border.

Military planners are increasingly focused on El Fasher in North Darfur as the next primary objective.

The broader logistical reopening has already triggered public demonstrations of support in El Obeid, with verified footage showing residents celebrating the arrival of regular army units.

Despite these central gains, combat operations and systemic humanitarian crises persist across Darfur and the Blue Nile regions.

Sudanese Armed Forces Secure Strategic Omdurman-El Obeid Highway