Sudan army reopens Khartoum to El Obeid highway

Sudan's army has reopened a strategic highway linking the capital, Khartoum, with the besieged city of El Obeid, marking a significant shift in the country's long-running civil war. Military sources confirmed on Monday, July 27, 2026, that the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) had pushed the rival paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) west, off the 400-kilometer road after a days-long advance. The move breaks a key RSF stranglehold on supply lines and could pave the way for a broader army offensive.

The advance, which culminated on Sunday, July 26, followed fierce battles in which the army recaptured several towns along the route, including Bara, Jabra al-Sheikh, Umm Sayala, and Umm Qarfa. Analysts describe the reopening of this corridor as a turning point, providing a far more efficient supply line to El Obeid than the previous, vulnerable route through White Nile State, which had been repeatedly targeted by RSF drone attacks. The highway had been under RSF control since the war began in April 2023.

The strategic importance of El Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan state, cannot be overstated. The city sits at a crucial crossroads, with its north-south axis connecting to Khartoum...