The Sudanese army has launched military operations on the Al-Khuwei axis in West Kordofan as it seeks to extend recent gains in neighbouring North Kordofan and push deeper into territory held by the Rapid Support Forces.
Military sources cited by Independent Arabia on Wednesday said army units had begun operations around Al-Khuwei while carrying out preparatory strikes along the border between North and West Kordofan.
The sources said heavy artillery was providing fire support to forces deployed around Al-Khuwei, targeting RSF positions and troop concentrations.
Air and artillery strikes have also targeted supply routes and positions around Umm Kureidim and neighbouring areas as the army prepares for further ground advances into West Kordofan.
Al-Khuwei holds strategic importance because of its position on road networks linking Kordofan with routes leading west toward Darfur. Control of the area could affect the movement of troops and supplies between the two regions.
The latest operation follows recent army gains in North Kordofan, including the capture of Al-Mazroub and Sodari.
The army announced on October 2 that it had taken Al-Mazroub after fighting with the RSF. Military and local sources said the advance opened a route toward West Kordofan and placed further pressure on RSF supply lines running between Kordofan and Darfur.
Earlier operations around Umm Kureidim had also been aimed at securing the North Kordofan-West Kordofan boundary before a wider advance toward Al-Khuwei and areas north of Al-Nuhud.
The opening of the Al-Khuwei axis suggests the army is attempting to convert its recent gains in North Kordofan into a broader westward offensive.
The RSF continues to hold significant territory across West Kordofan and Darfur, however, and there has been no independently verified confirmation of major territorial changes around Al-Khuwei itself.
The RSF had not immediately issued a public response to the latest military claims at the time of publication.
Fighting across the three Kordofan states has intensified in recent months as both sides seek control of routes connecting central Sudan with Darfur, making the region one of the principal fronts of the war.
