Sudan’s army claims control of major highway linking Khartoum and el-Obeid

What the report says

Al Jazeera reports that Sudan’s army says it has retaken full control of the Al Sadarat highway, a strategic road linking Khartoum with el-Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan. The army announced the development on Sunday, saying its forces captured towns and areas along the route after two days of heavy fighting with the rival Rapid Support Forces, or RSF.

The highway is important because it provides a more direct route for moving troops, weapons, fuel and other supplies toward el-Obeid, which has been under RSF siege. Al Jazeera said the army’s control of the road could also impede the RSF’s effort to take the city. The report cited the army as saying it had retaken Um Qurfa and Jarigakh and now controlled the Omdurman–el-Obeid export route.

Al Jazeera’s correspondent said the development restores a direct connection between the capital and Kordofan for the first time in months, potentially easing military logistics and reopening a trade corridor for livestock and agricultural goods. The report also noted that securing the road could improve humanitarian access for communities affected by the war.

According to Al Jazeera, about 500,000 people remain trapped in el-Obeid, where the United Nations has warned of a worsening humanitarian crisis amid RSF drone attacks. The RSF had held much of the 350km highway since Sudan’s war erupted in April 2023 after disputes over integrating the paramilitary force into the national army. The conflict has killed an estimated 40,000 people, according to the World Health Organization, and displaced more than 14 million.