Khartoum, Sudan — Sudan’s armed forces say they have ended a paramilitary blockade of Dilling in South Kordofan, claiming to have reopened the main asphalt supply route into the town for the first time in almost two years.
According to a military communiqué dated 27 January 2026, army units “inflicted heavy losses on enemy personnel and equipment” while pushing back Rapid Support Forces (RSF) positions that had encircled Dilling since late 2023. Video circulated by the army shows residents greeting soldiers on the town’s main street, though no independent journalists or aid agencies have yet confirmed either the celebrations or the extent of government control.
Dilling sits on the primary north — south highway linking el-Obeid—an army stronghold—to Kadugli, the provincial capital of the Nuba Mountains that has been largely cut off overland since fighting spread to Kordofan.
Securing the corridor would restore a direct land lifeline to Kadugli and could allow government troops to advance toward the RSF — held airstrip at Dalang, roughly 70 km further south. Official statements emphasise the operation’s strategic value, portraying it as a possible template for lifting other RSF encirclements across the country.
The army asserts that clearance work along the road continues and that supply convoys will begin moving “within days. ” The RSF has not issued any response, a pattern repeated in past army advances where the paramilitary group later acknowledged losing terrain while insisting it still dominates surrounding rural checkpoints. Analysts note that control of asphalt arteries in Kordofan has repeatedly shifted, often within short timeframes, and warn that consolidated hold depends on securing a buffer zone beyond the town limits.
Background pressure on both sides remains high. South Kordofan borders contested oil fields and hosts a large non-Arab Nuba population that fought successive Khartoum governments during earlier civil wars. Humanitarian access to Kadugli and neighbouring enclaves has been minimal for months, raising concern over food and medical stocks even if the road technically reopens.
Independent verification of current conditions inside Dilling is not yet possible. Satellite-imagery firms have not published updated assessments, and no U. N.
Agency operating in Sudan has confirmed safe passage along the highway. Until third-party access is granted, the announcement stands as a unilateral battlefield claim rather than a confirmed strategic shift. Officials have not released casualty figures for either side or provided a timeline for restarting civilian traffic.
Further updates are expected once army engineers complete road repairs and mine — clearance sweeps, according to the same military statement.
*Additional reporting by ImNews | Sources consulted: 4*
