RSF seizes control of Al Nahud in latest blow to SAF
Sudan army faces another setback in West Kordofan
The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) suffered a significant loss on Thursday in West Kordofan as the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) seized the strategic city of Al Nahud. This follows a series of defeats for the Sudanese military in Darfur in recent weeks.
Although the RSF had previously expanded their control in West Kordofan, Al Nahud had remained under SAF control until now, housing the 18th Infantry Brigade of the 22nd Infantry Division.
The fall of the city marks another key point in the growing list of territories controlled by the RSF, especially in Darfur and West Kordofan. Other key locations already under RSF control in West Kordofan include the state capital Al Fula, Al Meiram, and Al Mujlad – cities previously held by various SAF brigades.
Al Nahud's loss is particularly significant as it strikes at SAF’s operational capabilities in Northern Kordofan. The city is strategically positioned along a key route that could have enabled the Sudanese military to push into Darfur, which is largely controlled by the RSF, with only a few exceptions.
The RSF has been steadily gaining ground. In June last year, they captured Al Fula, which had previously hosted the 91st Infantry Brigade.
As a result of today’s RSF advance, SAF now holds only two remaining stronghold in the state: the division headquarters in Babanusa, which is now under threat of being overrun, and Heglig along the border with South Sudan’s Unity State.
The RSF launched their assault on Al Nahud from the north along the Inqaz al-Qarbi highway and from the west. The attack began at around 7:00 AM local time, and SAF defenses were quickly overwhelmed, forcing them to retreat to Brigade 18 headquarters, located approximately six kilometers east of the city center.
Footage shared by pro-RSF figures, including senior political advisor Al Basha Tabiq, shows RSF fighters standing in front of several key government buildings, such as the local government secretariat, police station, and the Al Nahud branch of the Bank of Khartoum.
These images, geolocated by Sudan War Monitor, were filmed after the fighting had mostly subsided inside the city center by the afternoon.
While the RSF has yet to release an official statement, Tabiq posted a video on X (formerly Twitter), claiming that the RSF had “liberated” the 18th Infantry Brigade headquarters. Sudan War Monitor geolocated the video to the northern part of the city, showing RSF soldiers moving northward from the town.
However, the soldiers did not claim to be inside the brigade headquarters, and the footage may have been taken during an earlier counterattack by SAF, which initially pushed back the RSF before they regrouped and captured the city.
In response, SAF spokesperson Nabil Abdallah maintained that the Sudanese military had “repelled the thugs in Al Nahud” and that they were still “in control of the situation,” despite the RSF’s success in capturing the city.
Al Nahud is a strategically vital location for both the RSF and SAF, lying along the Inqaz al-Qarbi highway that connects central Sudan with Darfur. Its capture by the RSF is a severe blow to the Sudanese military’s efforts to break the siege of Al Fasher in North Darfur, the only state capital in Darfur that remains under their control.
Despite previous defeats in Sennar, Al Jazira, and Khartoum states, the RSF has continued to advance, especially in North Darfur, where they recently seized Al-Maliha and Om Kadada.
Just last week, RSF forces stormed an IDP camp in El Fasher, killing hundreds of civilians. This massacre was followed by an attack in southern Omdurman last Sunday in which the group executed between 25 and 30 unarmed detainees.
Videos
In this video, RSF soldiers are seen at a fuel station heading north from Al Nahud following a SAF counterattack as they regroup. RSF propagandists claimed the footage was filmed inside the 18th Infantry Division, located east of the city. Location: 12°42'33.90"N 28°24'1.66"E.
In this video, filmed at the same location as above, the bodies of SAF soldiers are seen lying on the ground. The footage is geolocated to the same coordinates. Location: 12°42'33.90"N 28°24'1.66"E.
In this video, RSF spokesman Al Fatih Gorshi is seen in front of the Al Nahud locality government secretariat. Location: 12°41'37.26"N 28°25'14.61"E
In this video, RSF soldiers are seen outside the Al Nahud police headquarters and the judiciary building, threatening match on El Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan State. Location: 12°41'39.31"N 28°25'34.51"E.
In this video, RSF soldiers are seen outside the Al Nahud branch of the Bank of Khartoum. Location: 12°41'33.58"N 28°25'16.91"E.