The fighting has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions, creating what humanitarian organizations describe as the world’s largest ongoing humanitarian crisis.
Sudan’s military said Monday it has broken a months-long siege imposed by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces on Dilling, a strategic town in the central Kordofan region. If sustained, the breakthrough would restore access to major supply lines contested for months in the country’s three-year civil war.
The military claimed it opened a supply route to Dilling, in South Kordofan province, after months of RSF attempts to control the town. In a statement, the military said: “Our forces inflicted heavy losses on the enemy, both personal and equipment.”
The RSF, which has fought the military since April 2023, did not immediately comment on the claim.
Outbreak and escalation
A power struggle between the military and the Rapid Support Forces erupted into open fighting in Khartoum in April 2023, sparking a civil war that has reshaped Sudan over more than three years.
The fighting has killed more than 40,000 people according to UN figures, though aid groups say the true death toll could be many times higher. Over 14 million people have been forced to flee their homes, creating the world’s largest ongoing humanitarian crisis. Parts of Sudan have been pushed into famine conditions.
Geographic shifts and territorial losses
Dilling’s strategic value lies in its control of major supply lines through Kordofan. After the RSF was forced out of Khartoum in 2025, the group shifted its focus to Kordofan and the city of el-Fasher. El-Fasher was the military’s last stronghold in the sprawling Darfur region until the RSF seized it in October.
Hunger and supply access
Dilling has experienced severe hunger throughout the conflict, but the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification did not declare famine there in its November report, citing insufficient data. Restoring a supply route to the town could ease shortages as humanitarian needs remain critical across Sudan.