SAF Reclaims Sodri, Securing Key Supply Route in North Kordofan

The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) announced on Tuesday that it had recaptured the strategic town of Sodri in North Kordofan, a move that could alter the balance of power in the ongoing civil war that has gripped the country since early 2023. The statement, issued by the SAF’s spokesperson office, said that forces had seized the town after a coordinated offensive that pushed the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) out of the area. No casualties were reported, though both sides have claimed heavy losses in recent weeks.

Sodri sits on a key supply route that links the oil‑rich regions of South Kordofan to the national capital, Khartoum. Its capture is therefore a significant logistical win for the SAF. The RSF, meanwhile, has been attempting to consolidate control over the north‑eastern provinces, where it has leveraged its paramilitary strength and regional alliances to hold sway. The tug‑of‑war for towns such as Sodri has become a barometer for the broader conflict, which has seen the SAF and RSF trade territorial gains in a series of back‑and‑forth battles across the country.

The roots of the conflict lie in a power struggle that erupted after the ousting of former president Omar al‑Bashir in 2019. The Transitional Military Council that followed split into factions, eventually giving rise to the SAF and the RSF – a former militia group that had been involved in the 2016–2017 Yemeni Civil War. By 2021 the RSF had amassed roughly 40,000 fighters, many of whom returned to Sudan after the Yemen conflict. Over the past two years the two forces have clashed in a series of bloody confrontations, each side accusing the other of atrocities and human rights violations.

The SAF, estimated to have grown to around 300,000 personnel in 2024, is led by General Abdel Fattah al‑Bashir, who has pledged to restore order and secure the country’s oil exports. The RSF, under the command of Janjaweed leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, has been criticized for its brutal tactics but also praised by some local militias for providing a counterbalance to the SAF’s perceived corruption. Both sides have drawn on foreign support, with Russia and China providing arms to the SAF, and the United States and European Union offering humanitarian aid to civilians caught in the crossfire.

The recapture of Sodri comes as part of a broader SAF strategy to re‑establish control over the north‑west corridor. Analysts suggest that the SAF is now focusing on consolidating gains in the Kordofan provinces to prevent the RSF from gaining a foothold near the vital oil fields. The RSF, on the other hand, is reportedly shifting its attention to the south‑east, where it has already secured a number of towns. The tug‑of‑war has intensified the humanitarian crisis, with over 2 million people displaced and international aid agencies struggling to reach besieged populations.

While the conflict is primarily an internal Sudanese affair, its implications reverberate across the region. Sudan’s oil exports, which account for a significant share of the country’s revenue, flow through pipelines that cross international borders. A shift in control over key towns could disrupt these supply chains, potentially affecting energy markets in neighboring Egypt, Libya, and the Gulf states. Moreover, Sudan’s strategic location at the crossroads of the African and Middle Eastern trade routes means that any prolonged instability could threaten regional security, encouraging the spill‑over of militias and arms into neighboring states.

For Taiwan, the immediate connection to Sudan’s civil war is limited, but the event underscores the fragility of supply chains in a geopolitically volatile world. Taiwan’s semiconductor industry depends on a complex network of raw materials, many of which originate from Africa and the Middle East. Disruptions in the transport of minerals, oil, and other critical resources could ripple through global supply chains, affecting production schedules and pricing. Furthermore, the broader trend of emerging powers such as China and Russia expanding their influence in Africa highlights the importance of stable diplomatic relations for Taiwan’s international standing. As Taiwan continues to navigate its own security challenges and seeks to diversify its trade partners, keeping a close eye on the evolving situation in Sudan will be essential to anticipate potential risks to global trade and supply chains.