Description: Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the country’s Army have begun expanding the civil war frontlines towards the oil – rich region of Kordofan. The region is located in the central parts of Sudan and has become the centerpiece in the renewed offensive launched by the Sudanese Army due to it’s vast oil deposits and pipelines crucial to the country’s energy supply. Fighting in Kordofan began last week in the western villages of Al Fula and Abu Zabad where more than 300 people were killed in the week – long clashes between the RSF and the Sudanese army. Recent expansions of the frontlines indicates that the Army would attempt to assume control of the region pushing the RSF further west into dominantly controlled regions by the rebels such as El – Fasher and Darfur. UN reports signal nationwide spread humanitarian crises which are being exacerbated by the constant armed clashes and the aggravated weather conditions which were followed by heavy rains and floods, disabling access to key humanitarian and medical aid supply points.
Impact: Kordofan represents a key strategic point in the war due to its central geographical positioning in Sudan and the presence of key oil supply and extraction capacities. So far neither the RSF nor the Army are capable of prevailing in the war, as constant protracted clashes have depleted the warfare capabilities on both sides. The RSF are deeply imbedded in the west Kordofan region where they could stage a renewed offensive within the city of El – Obeid and push the Sudanese army from withholding significant strategic advantage, if the north parts of Kordofan fall under their control. The Sudanese Army would aim at pressuring the RSF on several points on the frontline where other armed groups are also active and sporadically engage both the RSF and the Sudanese army. Foreign funding and influence from other state actors fuel the war towards revolving military confrontations, with no potential for peaceful resolution in sight.