Airstrikes in Darfur and Surrenders in Kordofan: Army Targets the “Head of the Snake” to Neutralize the Peripheries

Sudan Events – Agencies

Over three consecutive days, the Sudanese Armed Forces carried out airstrikes targeting positions of the (RSF) in Nyala, Souq Al-Na’am, and near the Adré border crossing along the Sudanese-Chadian frontier.

Meanwhile in Kordofan, the army received groups of RSF fighters who declared their surrender. Some of these surrenders were officially announced, while others were not. However, field sources confirmed to Asdaa Sudaniya newspaper that the army’s forward defense lines in Kordofan are witnessing near-daily defections of new militia groups.

Precision Strikes

In recent days, the army targeted fuel shipments in the border market of Souq Al-Na’am, along the frontier with South Sudan, in a precise operation that significantly curtailed fuel supplies reaching RSF elements in Kordofan. It also struck a militia convoy arriving from Chad near the border, reportedly carrying fuel and weapons.

Additional strikes targeted military equipment and fuel depots inside Nyala. According to reports, this forced the Dagalo family leadership to retain fuel and materiel in Darfur areas beyond the reach of army drones to safeguard their stronghold there, while leaving their forces in Kordofan exposed to army advances.

Confirmed reports suggest that the RSF has effectively deprioritized Kordofan in order to preserve its strength and equipment for the defense of Darfur. Observers say this shift has pushed RSF elements in Kordofan toward surrender or flight, with prominent commanders in the region — including Al-Taj Al-Tijani and Hussein Barsham — reportedly disappearing from the scene.

A New Phase

During February, Sudan’s war entered what observers describe as a new phase, following the army’s announcement of precision strikes targeting RSF air defense systems. Military analysts view this as a qualitative shift, reflecting the Sudanese Armed Forces’ asserted superiority in controlling the airspace — a decisive factor in modern warfare.

These strikes were not isolated tactical successes but rather the opening phase of a coordinated campaign aimed at neutralizing the most dangerous military capabilities the RSF has developed since the outbreak of war in April 2023.

A major setback for RSF forces in Kordofan followed the targeting of air defense systems in Al-Fula and Abu Zabad. The Sudanese army spokesperson, Brigadier General Asim Awad, previously stated that forces carried out a “specialized operation” in Abu Zabad, resulting in the destruction of the air defense system and inflicting heavy casualties and material losses on the RSF. He affirmed that military operations would continue until the country is fully secured.

Operations extended beyond a single air defense system, encompassing broader strikes on drone storage facilities, operational units, radar sites, and associated air defense platforms.

The army announced it had destroyed Chinese-made CH-95 drones and additional FK-2000 air defense systems in Darfur and Kordofan, as part of a broader effort to dismantle what it described as the RSF’s “non-conventional aerial capabilities.”

Military leadership characterized the campaign as part of a strategy to “dismantle the militia’s unconventional air capabilities,” alleging that these systems were developed with support and arms supplies from the — which the army accuses of continuing to provide assistance to the RSF in what it describes as overt aggression against Sudan.

Drying Up the Sources

As a result of these precision operations, RSF forces in Kordofan are now reportedly without effective air cover and facing shortages of fuel and ammunition. Observers believe the army’s strategy of “drying up the sources” of supply will cause the militia to shrink from peripheral areas due to disrupted logistics, ultimately paving the way for a decisive confrontation in its core stronghold in Darfur.

Experts argue that the Sudanese Armed Forces have succeeded in penetrating the militia’s inner logistical circle, demonstrated by targeting fuel and weapons shipments before they reached urban centers. This marks a significant step toward cutting off RSF resources in preparation for a ground offensive — particularly amid reports that Emirati supply flights to Darfur have ceased, with no aircraft reportedly landing there for nearly two weeks, the first such pause in a prolonged period.

Researcher Dr. Othman Norein asserted that the army’s ongoing specialized operations are likely to lead to a rapid and unexpected collapse of the militia. He noted that the army appears to be planning to decisively settle the battle from Kordofan rather than Darfur, predicting that such an outcome could occur soon, as the RSF no longer possesses sufficient resources amid sustained operations that have depleted fuel and weapons supplies.