Sudan Conflict: Air Strikes Target Kordofan and Darfur Regions

Military forces in Sudan and paramilitary groups exchanged fire on Monday, with strikes reported in the western Darfur region and the southern Kordofan region, according to a military source and eyewitnesses.

In Darfur, the Sudanese army launched strikes against the town of Zalingei, one of the five state capitals currently under the control of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Witnesses in Zalingei reported seeing smoke and flames emanating from a building in the area. The military source confirmed the attack to AFP, identifying the targeted location as an RSF warehouse.

Meanwhile, in the neighbouring Kordofan region, an RSF drone strike reportedly hit a building occupied by the government's humanitarian aid agency in Dilling. This town was recently liberated from a siege by the paramilitary group. Dilling has been a focal point of the conflict since the war began in April 2023.

The military source also indicated that the army is continuing its advance towards Kadugli, the capital of South Kordofan, after successfully opening two corridors around Dilling last week. The United Nations reports that approximately 80% of Kadugli's population, estimated at 147,000 people, has already fled the city.

Following the fall of El-Fasher, the army's last significant stronghold in Darfur in October, the RSF has redirected its efforts towards Kordofan, a large and agriculturally important region in southern Sudan.

Jan Egeland, Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), described South Kordofan as "Sudan's most dangerous and neglected frontline." He issued a statement on Monday following a visit, highlighting that entire towns are facing starvation, forcing families to flee with nothing. Egeland characterized the situation as a "man-made disaster" that is escalating into a dire crisis.

The United Nations has previously expressed concerns that Kordofan could experience a repeat of the atrocities witnessed in El-Fasher. In El-Fasher, the RSF faced accusations of widespread violence, including massacres, sexual violence, and abductions targeting non-Arab populations after the city's capture.