The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) announced on Monday it had ended siege of Dilling, after a fierce battle with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied militias.
Dilling is the second largest city in South Kordofan state, where the paramilitary fighters have tried to make advances to consolidate their control over the Kordofan region.
Breaking Dilling Siege
The Sudanese army announced it had successfully broken a long-running siege of Dilling following decisive military battles with the RSF and their local allies, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North faction (SPLA-N) led by Abdelaziz Al-Hilu.
In a statement, the SAF General Command said that the Sudanese army and allied Joint Forces reopened the Dilling road through a decisive military operation, defeating the RSF and allied militias who sought to disrupt the movement of citizens and supplies while targeting the regions’ security and stability.
The statement added that the army inflicted heavy losses on the RSF, in terms of personnel and equipment, while remaining RSF fighters retreated under strikes from government troops.
The SAF also reiterated pledge to remain steadfast in cleansing the country from what it called “terrorist militias” until peace and security prevail throughout Sudan.
A Road to Kadugli
The advancement consolidates the SAF’s grip on the northern and southern approaches to Dilling, according to AFP. Ending the siege allows the army to restore supply lines from North Kordofan. This move serves as a strategic preparation for advancing toward Kadugli, which remains under a tight siege.
Dilling is located halfway between Kadugli and Al-Obied, the capital of North Kordofan state, which the RSF has sought to encircle to control the vital supply routes linking the Kordofan states to western Sudan.
Kordofan Battles
Since the RSF captured El-Fasher in late October 2025, conflict has intensified across the Kordofan region, which serves as a vital strategic bridge, linking Darfur to central Sudan and providing a key route toward Khartoum.
Moreover, the region, spanning North, South, and West Kordofan, has abundance of natural resources, including significant oil reserves and agricultural wealth.
In light of this, the RSF has consolidated its control over West Kordofan, seized the strategic Heglig oil field, and escalated its blockade of Kadugli, where famine was confirmed in early November 2025.
The war in Sudan broke out in April 2023. Currently, the SAF controls 13 out of Sudan’s 18 states, consolidating its grip on Sudan’s south, north, east and center, including the capital Khartoum.
On the other hand, the RSF holds all five states of the Darfur region in the west, except for some northern parts of North Darfur that remain under the SAF control.
RSF Elimination
The Chairman of Sudan’s Transitional Sovereignty Council and SAF Commander-in-Chief, Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, has renewed his pledge to eliminate the RSF and affiliated militias, according to Sudan News Agency (SUNA).
Speaking at the graduation ceremony of the 22nd qualifying batch of the General Intelligence Service in Port Sudan, Al-Burhan vowed to eradicate the “rebellion,” stressing that the state will not tolerate any future insurgencies and warning that any leniency or inaction will be countered with total military resolve.
The SAF commander has repeatedly ruled out any chances for peace in Sudan until the complete elimination of the RSF, stating that the paramilitary group cannot be part of any solution.
The conflict in Sudan has killed tens of thousands of people, displacing over 12 million inside Sudan and to neighboring countries, and pushed parts of the country into famine amid cholera outbreaks.
