Field Context

The Sudanese army succeeded in ending the siege imposed on Al-Dalung, the second-largest city in South Kordofan state, after fierce battles against the Rapid Support Forces and their ally, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement led by Abdel Aziz al-Hilu. The army managed to connect the city to North Kordofan via the eastern road after controlling the strategic city of “Habila”.

Strategic Importance of Habila

Habila is located on the vital road linking Kadugli and Al-Dalung, approximately 30 kilometers east of Al-Dalung, which gives control over it important military and logistical dimensions, especially with the continued siege by the Rapid Support Forces on Al-Dalung since the early months of the war.

The city also connects North and South Kordofan, and is located near the Habila Agricultural Project, one of the largest agricultural projects in the region that produces sorghum and sesame.

Nature of the Battles

The army fought fierce battles that included extensive combing operations in the areas of Kurtala, Klogi, and Al-Tital east of Al-Dalung city. Video footage from the field documented the destruction of dozens of RSF combat vehicles and the neutralization of large numbers of its elements.

It should be noted that Habila has turned, for about a month, into an area of exchanged control between the army and the Rapid Support Forces more than once, amid intensive use of drones by both sides.

Humanitarian Dimensions

The siege imposed on major cities in South Kordofan since the early months of the war has exacerbated the humanitarian crisis, with cases of famine recorded in Al-Dalung city due to food scarcity and the absence of humanitarian aid.

Complex Field Alliances

The situation in South Kordofan reveals the complexities of military alliances:

• RSF alliance with SPLM-North (al-Hilu): Despite the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement being a historic armed movement, it allied with the RSF against the army in this region
• Army alliance with Joint Forces: Includes other armed movements and local forces

Strategic Implications

1. Opening Supply Lines: By ending the siege, the army restored supply lines and opened vital corridors to the city from North Kordofan in preparation for reaching Kadugli, which also suffers from a strangling siege
2. Shifting the Balance of Power in Kordofan: This breakthrough may pave the way for broader military operations in South Kordofan, especially toward the capital Kadugli
3. Ethnic Dimensions: Coinciding with the RSF’s advance, escalatory ethnic rhetoric and tribal alignments between Nuba groups and Arab groups began to rise, threatening the social fabric of the city

Conclusion

Breaking the siege of Al-Dalung represents an important field development for the Sudanese army in the Kordofan region, but it comes in the context of a complex war where military, political, and ethnic alliances intersect, with catastrophic humanitarian consequences for civilians who have been under siege for months.