Sudanese military and allied forces retake strategic town of Bara from RSF

KHARTOUM – The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and allied former rebel factions have retaken the strategically critical town of Bara in North Kordofan, reclaiming a vital supply route in the country’s ongoing conflict, according to a review of visual evidence and military statements by Sudans Post.

Video footage circulating on social media and independently verified by Sudans Post shows fighters from the Joint Forces of Armed Struggle Movements (JSAMF) operating in central Bara.

In one video, a fighter stands in the town center and declares the date as March 5, 2026, marking a significant shift in the battle for control over central Sudan’s logistical corridors.

Additional footage analyzed by Sudans Post indicates the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which previously controlled the town, suffered heavy casualties during the military offensive.

Other clips show soldiers identifying detainees as captured RSF combatants. Among those reportedly taken prisoner is RSF Brigadier Salih Haymer.

Pro-army sources stated that the military seized dozens of vehicles, fuel tankers, ammunition caches, and a communications jamming system. While Sudans Post could not independently verify the exact quantities of seized weaponry, the visual evidence suggests the RSF units in Bara were largely dispersed or destroyed.

The Sudanese military confirmed the advance in a statement from its general command, announcing that its forces had liberated the city following intense clashes.

Framing the campaign as part of its “War of Dignity,” the military stated the battle inflicted heavy losses on the RSF and forced surviving units to flee. The army vowed to continue operations until all Sudanese territory is reclaimed.

The recapture of Bara holds immense strategic weight. Located approximately 55 kilometers (34 miles) north of the North Kordofan state capital, El Obeid, Bara sits on the Sadarat Highway.

This transport corridor—also known as the Al-Inqaz Al-Qarbi Highway—is critical for linking the capital region of Khartoum and Omdurman with the Kordofan states and the expansive western region of Darfur.

Securing Bara allows the military to fortify a key segment of the road connecting central Sudan to El Obeid, a major administrative and military stronghold that has seen months of heavy fighting. The highway serves as an essential artery for troop movements and the transport of civilian goods.

The development fits into a broader pattern of shifting frontlines across Sudan. The recapture of Bara appears to be a direct military response by the SAF following recent RSF gains further south.

Just days prior, the RSF launched operations that reimposed blockades on the South Kordofan towns of Dilling and Kadugli, severing major supply lines.

Military analysts note a cyclical pattern in the conflict: when one faction isolates a town, the opposing force retaliates by striking elsewhere, resulting in continuous territorial exchanges rather than decisive breakthroughs. Bara itself exemplifies this war of attrition, having repeatedly changed hands.

In September 2025, the army and its allies captured the town, temporarily opening a direct supply line from Khartoum to El Obeid. The RSF later launched counterattacks, retaking Bara and restoring its siege pressure on the state capital until this latest military operation.

The successful assault on Bara was largely spearheaded by the JSAMF, a coalition primarily composed of the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM). Drawing on deep experience in Darfur’s desert terrain, these allied fighters have increasingly taken frontline roles.

Their mobile desert combat tactics, utilizing fast-moving, heavily armed pickup trucks, have proven highly effective against the RSF, which relies heavily on similar mechanized strategies. The Sudanese army has increasingly relied on these allied groups to lead ground assaults in open terrain where traditional armored units are less agile.

Despite the military’s success in Bara, the RSF maintains a formidable presence further north along the Sadarat Highway.

The paramilitary group continues to hold Hamra Al-Sheikh, a vital logistical hub closer to Khartoum state. Consequently, the highway linking El Obeid to Omdurman remains secured by the army only from the south.

The RSF did not immediately issue a public statement regarding the loss of Bara.

Throughout the conflict, the paramilitary force has frequently responded to battlefield setbacks by either highlighting simultaneous victories in other regions or issuing counterclaims regarding enemy casualties to offset the narrative of defeat.