Full Breakdown
Battle for Kordofan: Sudan’s Central Corridor Becomes a Key Front
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Intensifying Conflict in Kordofan
Since the war began on April 15, 2023, fighting has spread to the three Kordofan states that link the army-held centre of Sudan with the RSF-controlled Darfur region. The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) have pushed the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) out of much of North Kordofan, while air-strikes—especially drone attacks—have increased the lethality of the conflict. An Al Jazeera analysis of Armed Conflict Location and Event Data (ACLED) data recorded 14,648 attacks across Sudan between the start of the war and September 19, 2026, with Kordofan accounting for 2,876 of those incidents (about 19.7 %).
Distribution of Attacks and Shifts in Violence
Across North, South and West Kordofan, ACLED logged 2,717 attacks: North Kordofan 1,205 (44 %), South Kordofan 789, and West Kordofan 723. The Sheikan locality in North Kordofan alone saw 497 attacks (41 % of the state’s total). The SAF was linked to 52 % of all recorded attacks nationwide, the RSF to 34.7 %, and other actors to 13.3 %. In Kordofan specifically, the SAF accounted for 1,323 attacks (46 %) and the RSF for 920 attacks (32 %).
Humanitarian Impact
ACLED estimates at least 12,314 fatalities in Kordofan since April 2023. The United Nations reports that about 8.6 million people remain internally displaced across Sudan, down from a peak of 11.6 million in January 2025 as some return to army-retaken areas. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) notes that displacement in Kordofan rose 65 % between February and late June, increasing from over 132,000 to at least 219,000 people.
Official Statements & Responses
IOM officials have highlighted the accelerating displacement and the risk to essential services such as water, electricity and healthcare. The dean of the el-Obeid college, Abdel Aziz al-Sheikh, described a September 9 drone strike that destroyed the college roof and killed a security guard, saying the attack shattered the faculty’s future. Student Omnia Aboul Gassim echoed the sentiment, noting that the strike erased their academic aspirations.
Verbatim Quotes
- “The warning signs are impossible to ignore,” — IOM Director General Amy, said IOM director