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Sudan’s army claims al-Mazroub on the Kordofan supply routes

Sudan’s army said it captured al-Mazroub in North Kordofan after fighting the Rapid Support Forces. Military officials described the town as a link between North and West Kordofan and presented the advance as a move against opposing supply routes. The announcement concerns one of the war’s main fronts, between army-held central Sudan and Rapid Support Forces-controlled Darfur.

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A covered military utility vehicle stands beside a small checkpoint on a dry road.

Army announcement targets a North Kordofan town

Sudan’s army said on 2 October that it had captured al-Mazroub, a town in North Kordofan state, after fierce fighting with the Rapid Support Forces, the paramilitary force it has been fighting since April 2023. The territorial-control assertion came from the army. It said opposing fighters had suffered casualties and lost numerous combat vehicles, without independently established figures for those losses.[1], [2]

The military appealed to residents in places it described as recaptured to resume normal life. It also said its forces would protect civilians and property. An army source described al-Mazroub as the Rapid Support Forces’ largest stronghold in North Kordofan. Radio Tamazuj said the opposing force could not immediately be reached for comment on the announcement. The army said its troops were supported by allied forces, including fighters from the Darfur Joint Forces, an armed coalition from western Sudan.[1], [2]

Supply routes link North and West Kordofan

Special Forces spokesman Mohammed Deidan described al-Mazroub as a connection between North and West Kordofan. He presented the claimed seizure as progress towards cutting the Rapid Support Forces’ supply lines. Military analyst Jamal Al-Shaheed also described the town as an important route towards Darfur, western Sudan, and said the army had been advancing on several fronts since mid-September.[1], [2]

Kordofan lies between the two sides’ strongholds

The wider Kordofan region consists of North, West and South Kordofan states. It stretches between the army-held central region and Darfur, which is controlled by the Rapid Support Forces. The army has the upper hand in the north and its opponent in the west, while control of South Kordofan remains contested. Fighting in the region has intensified since late 2025.[1]

Kordofan has become one of the war’s principal battlegrounds. One in five recorded attacks in Sudan since the war began in April 2023 occurred there, according to Al Jazeera. Al-Shaheed characterised current operations as increasingly focused on roads and supply routes rather than individual towns. The war began after a dispute over integrating the paramilitary force into the regular army and has spread across much of Sudan.[1], [2]

References

  1. News sourceAl JazeeraControl announcement for al-Mazroub in North Kordofan from Sudan’s army↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5
  2. News sourceRadio TamazujSudan’s army announces al-Mazroub control claim↩1↩2↩3↩4
Chip wars and the supply chainRussia-Ukraine warMiddle East balance of powerEnergy transition and climate

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