- Analysts view the breaking of the siege as a significant shift in the war’s momentum, marking a major setback for the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and their local allies.
- General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan stated that the government is ready to support peace, but will not sign any truce with the RSF, which is responsible for the civil war since April 2023.
- Kadugli has been in a state of IPC Phase 5 famine since November 2025, and breaking the siege could provide a reprieve for tens of thousands of starving civilians by allowing aid to enter.
The Sudanese army said it had broken a two- years- long siege by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of Kadugli, the capital of South Kordofan. The Kordofan region has seen the heaviest fighting in recent months. A week ago, the Sudanese army broke an RSF siege of Dilling, a city located around 100 km north of Kadugli. Dilling has been on the frontline of the war between RSF and the army since April 2023. After opening corridors in Dilling, the army continued to advance towards Kadugli. The Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council, Jan Egeland, called South Kordofan “Sudan’s most dangerous and neglected frontline”.
Analysts view the breaking of the siege as a significant shift in the war’s momentum, marking a major setback for the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and their local allies. The SAF and allied units successfully opened the Kadugli-Dilling road, a crucial logistical artery that had been severed for nearly 1,000 days since the war began in April 2023.
General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the de facto leader of the country, said his forces had opened a supply route to the capital, Kadugli. He also stated this was a major achievement for their people and confirmed that the armed forces will provide all essentials, such as food and medicine. He also stated that the military government of Sudan is ready to support peace, but will not sign any truce with the RSF, which is responsible for the civil war in Sudan since April 2023.
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) said its hospital was hit by an airstrike, destroying the main warehouse of the hospital and disrupting the critical supplies of the hospital. UN humanitarians said Wednesday they are deeply alarmed by the reports of drone strikes in Kadugli, killing at least 15 civilians, including seven children. The humanitarians called for an end to violence and additional funding for life-saving assistance.
The condition of Kadugli was worse, causing famine, as confirmed by a global hunger monitor last year. The war has put food, medicine, and doctors out of reach for many people. This forced them to eat leaves or die of starvation. According to the United Nations, more than 80% of Kadugli’s population has fled. The conflict between SAF and RSF has displaced and killed millions of people. The UN called the world’s most humanitarian crises.
Impact of Breaking the Siege
Kadugli has been in a state of IPC Phase 5 famine (the most severe level) since at least November 2025. Breaking the siege potentially provides a reprieve for tens of thousands of starving civilians by allowing aid to enter. Despite the breakthrough, the humanitarian situation remains dire. The World Food Program had warned just weeks prior that the city was completely cut off, with unprecedented cases of acute famine.
The SAF’s advance is seen as a strategic move to isolate the Kordofan region from the RSF’s strongholds in Darfur, potentially preventing a prolonged war of attrition. The region is a vital bridge between different theatres of operation. The conflict here involves not just the SAF and RSF, but also the SPLM-North (al-Hilu faction), making the political resolution in South Kordofan particularly complex.
References:
- https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/msf-says-airstrike-hit-its-hospital-south-sudans-jonglei-state-2026-02-04
- https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/sudanese-army-says-it-has-broken-siege-famine-stricken-kadugli-2026-02-03
- https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/2/3/sudan-military-claims-to-break-siege-of-key-kordofan-city-of-kadugli
- https://www.wfp.org/countries/sudan
Anshika Agrawal is a research scholar at the Centre for Russian and Central Asian Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, with a strong interest in current affairs, bilateral and multilateral relations, and public policy. Views expressed are the author’s own.
Antara Deka