Sudan’s army announced it has regained full control of the Al Sadarat highway linking Khartoum to El Obeid, according to a statement on Sunday; the highway had been controlled by the rival Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since April 2023.

Strategic Victory for the Sudanese Army

The capture of the Al Sadarat highway will allow the Sudanese army to move troops, weapons, fuel, and supplies more efficiently, according to the army’s statement. The highway also blocks the RSF’s push to seize El Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan state.

The army said its troops retook the areas of Um Qurfa and Jarigakh after two days of fierce battles with the RSF — the operations reportedly “inflicted heavy losses in lives and equipment [of RSF fighters], forcing them to flee,” the statement said.

Humanitarian and Military Implications

Al Jazeera’s AlMigdad Alruhaid reported that the capture of the highway restores “a direct connection between the capital and Kordofan for the first time in months.” This is significant because the highway is a key military supply route, Alruhaid said.

Securing the highway allows the army to move fuel, troops, and equipment more quickly to El Obeid instead of relying on the longer route through White Nile State. It also reduces pressure on El Obeid, which has been largely isolated by RSF positions, Alruhaid added.

For civilians. Securing this road could also improve humanitarian access to communities affected by the ongoing war. About half a million people are trapped in El Obeid, where the United Nations has warned of a humanitarian catastrophe due to intense RSF drone attacks.

Broader War Context

The conflict between the Sudanese army and the RSF has killed an estimated 40,000 people, according to the World Health Organization; the war has also forced more than 14 million people to flee their homes.

El Obeid has been under siege by the RSF, and UN Women said last week that women and girls in the city face an impossible choice over basic resources like water. Collecting water in daylight risks drone strikes, while waiting until dark increases the risk of sexual violence.

Sexual violence has been used as a weapon throughout the war, with testimonies describing rape committed in front of family members alongside harsh physical abuse.