The strategic tug-of-war for Sudan's oil and corridors

Wars & Conflicts · Published 16 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: The Kordofan region is more than a geographic territory; it is a vital artery for Sudan's survival. By controlling its three states, warring factions secure direct access to critical oilfields and the primary corridors leading to Darfur. This theater has become a high-stakes chessboard of sieges and rapid territorial shifts.

The Kordofan campaign, which erupted on April 15, 2023, serves as a primary theater in the broader Sudanese civil war. The conflict involves the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), with the region's three states—North, South, and West Kordofan—serving as essential strategic prizes. The offensive was launched simultaneously with the RSF's seizure of Khartoum's airport, immediately establishing Kordofan as a frontline for securing oilfields like Heglig and maintaining logistical access to Darfur.

The fighting is characterized by a volatile cycle of sieges and counter-offensives. For instance, the city of El Obeid saw the RSF claim control of its airport on the first day of the war, leading to a protracted siege where the SAF eventually conducted airstrikes to break the pressure. In West Kordofan, the RSF captured the capital, Al-Fulah, in June 2023, causing 60% of the population to flee and leading to reports of executions and the presence of foreign mercenaries.

Adding complexity to the landscape is the involvement of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement–North (SPLM–N). Despite having a ceasefire with the SAF, the SPLM–N began mobilizing in June 2023, seizing army bases and attacking SAF positions in Kadugli and Dalang. This created a three-way dynamic where the SAF, RSF, and SPLM–N frequently clashed over the same territory. While the SAF has successfully retaken several towns like Er Rahad and Umm Ruwaba in early 2024, the region remains a fractured zone of heavy shelling, drone warfare, and humanitarian crisis.

The human cost is staggering. Beyond the direct combat deaths, the RSF's pillaging of World Food Programme warehouses in June 2023—stealing enough food for 4.4 million people—highlights the weaponization of resources. The campaign is not just a fight for land, but a desperate struggle for the economic and logistical infrastructure that sustains the Sudanese state.

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