The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) has firmly denied claims by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) that it captured the strategic West Kordofan town of Babnusa. In a statement on Tuesday, Sudan military government said its troops had successfully pushed back an RSF assault. This came after the paramilitary group announced on Monday that it had taken full control of Babnusa — a key gateway to the Darfur region and the wider western part of Sudan.
RSF-released videos appeared to show its fighters entering an army base in Babnusa following weeks of siege. However, the SAF insisted that fighting was still under way inside the city.
According to the army spokesperson, the RSF “launched a new attack on the city, which our forces decisively repelled”.
Al Jazeera’s Hiba Morgan reported that while the RSF has overtaken the main army headquarters, the military says “its fighters are still inside the city and battles are ongoing”.
If the RSF secures full control of Babnusa, it would effectively dominate West Kordofan and key access routes into western Sudan. For the SAF, losing Babnusa would make it significantly harder to reach or reclaim areas in Darfur.
Clashes have also spread through other parts of Kordofan, including the southern region of Abbasiya Tagali, according to Al Jazeera Arabic.
Broken Ceasefire and Escalating Tensions
The RSF offensive on Babnusa follows its takeover of el-Fasher, the army’s final stronghold in Darfur. Witnesses and humanitarian groups have reported severe abuses by the RSF, including mass killings, kidnapping, and rape.
The renewed violence also undermines the RSF’s unilateral ceasefire, announced after mediation efforts from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and the United States.
The SAF rejected the proposal, calling it too favourable to the RSF.
Sudan’s government accused the RSF of using the ceasefire announcement as “a political and media ploy” while continuing attacks and receiving alleged support from the United Arab Emirates — allegations the UAE denies.
Analysts warn that if Babnusa falls completely, the RSF’s next target could be el-Obeid in North Kordofan. Losing the city would deal a major political and economic blow to the SAF, bringing the RSF significantly closer to Khartoum.
Though the SAF had pushed the RSF out of the capital months earlier, the momentum appears to be shifting again. With Darfur now fully under RSF control and Kordofan potentially next, the Sudanese army faces one of its most challenging moments since the conflict began.