The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are pushing eastward into Sudan's central Kordofan region, unleashing a new wave of violence marked by drone strikes, revenge killings, and a deepening humanitarian crisis that has displaced tens of thousands of civilians. This strategic shift follows the RSF's consolidation of power in Darfur and signals a dangerous new phase in the country's two-and-a-half-year civil war.
After solidifying its control over Darfur by capturing the city of el-Fasher, the RSF has redirected its military focus toward the strategic corridor of Kordofan. This region is a crucial buffer zone between the RSF's western strongholds and the army-held eastern states. The paramilitary group has seized the town of Bara in North Kordofan, a vital link between Darfur and central Sudan. Eyewitnesses and residents report signs of a significant military buildup, with the army and allied forces amassing troops in North Kordofan's capital, El Obeid, while the RSF deploys to the east. The town of Babanusa in West Kordofan, home to a major army base, is now surrounded by RSF soldiers.
Survivors from the captured town of Bara have provided harrowing accounts of revenge attacks and summary executions by RSF fighters targeting those accused of supporting the army. One escapee, Khalil, described being lined up with eight other men and shot at by an RSF soldier, resulting in two deaths. Another man, Mohamed, recounted hearing his father being fatally shot outside their home before fighters entered, beat the occupants, and demanded money and gold. The Sudanese activist group Emergency Lawyers reported that hundreds were killed in Bara. These atrocities echo patterns documented by the UN Human Rights Office in Darfur, where the RSF has conducted targeted attacks on villages based on residents' ethnicity.
Both warring sides have increasingly relied on drone strikes in recent months, leading to heavy civilian casualties. A drone attack on November 3 in the Sheikan locality of North Kordofan killed 49 people, including women and children. In a particularly devastating incident, a drone strike hit a funeral gathering in al-Luweib village near El Obeid, killing at least 40 mourners. The RSF was blamed for the attack, which targeted civilians gathered in a tent. The UN human rights chief, Volker Türk, has warned that developments on the ground indicate "clear preparations for intensified hostilities, with everything that implies for its long-suffering people".
The conflict's escalation into Kordofan has exacerbated what was already one of the world's most severe humanitarian crises. The International Organization for Migration reports that up to 50,000 people have been displaced from Kordofan since the recent offensive began. A global hunger monitor has confirmed that the city of Kadugli in South Kordofan is experiencing famine, with the nearby city of al-Dalanj also likely in famine. This mirrors the catastrophic impact of the RSF's siege on el-Fasher in Darfur. The United Nations has described Sudan as facing a humanitarian catastrophe, with over 25 million people in need of assistance and more than 12 million displaced.
While the RSF accepted a ceasefire proposal by the United States following international outcry over its actions in el-Fasher, the Sudanese army has not agreed to the truce, and fighting has continued unabated. The UN has documented that the warring parties are overseeing a "wholesale assault on human rights" with "complete disregard for the laws of war," regularly attacking populated areas and critical civilian infrastructure while obstructing humanitarian aid. UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called for an immediate halt to the violence, warning that "the horrifying crisis in Sudan... is spiralling out of control".