The Kordofan region, spanning North, West and South Kordofan states in Sudan, has become a major theater of conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since fighting escalated in late 2025. The region serves as a strategic corridor linking RSF-controlled territory in the west with the SAF’s central strongholds, making control of Kordofan vital for both sides. According to conflict monitoring data, approximately one in five recorded attacks across Sudan since the war began in April 2023 have occurred in Kordofan.
The nature of combat in the region has shifted toward aerial operations, with drone strikes on towns becoming increasingly frequent and deadly. Civilian infrastructure has sustained damage across Kordofan’s three states. Analysis of recorded conflicts shows North Kordofan has experienced the heaviest concentration of violence, with the city of el-Obeid serving as a major focus due to its role as a commercial and administrative hub. A September drone strike on an educational facility in el-Obeid resulted in fatalities and structural damage, highlighting the vulnerability of civilian areas.
Since the conflict began, the SAF has accounted for just over half of recorded attacks in Kordofan, while the RSF has been responsible for roughly one-third. The pattern of attacks has evolved, with the RSF increasing its operational tempo from late 2024 through mid-2025 before the two sides’ monthly attack counts converged around August 2025. Conflict monitoring organizations have documented at least 12,314 reported fatalities in Kordofan during the conflict period.
The intensified fighting has driven significant population displacement. Since escalation in October 2025, new displacement in Kordofan has surged 65 percent over four months, rising from more than 132,000 displaced individuals to at least 219,000 by late June. El-Obeid, hosting approximately 500,000 people including more than 83,000 displaced persons, faces heightened security concerns. Across Sudan broadly, approximately 8.6 million people remain internally displaced, though this represents a decline from a peak of 11.6 million in January 2025 as some displaced populations have returned to army-controlled areas.
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