On November 7, 2026, the Sudanese Armed Forces and its allied forces successfully defended against a significant attack launched by the Rapid Support Forces in the Ayel Bokhit area of West Kordofan. According to military sources, the clashes lasted approximately three hours. The Rapid Support Forces deployed a large and elite force supported by a strategic drone, aiming to attack the Sudanese Armed Forces' positions in the area. However, the defending forces managed to repel the attack and inflict substantial losses on the attackers.
The confrontations resulted in the destruction of several military vehicles and equipment, and a large number of Rapid Support Forces elements were killed. Some field reports estimated that over 100 attackers were killed, and a strategic drone was downed. Although these claims could not be independently verified, military sources confirmed that the army and its allies inflicted significant losses on the Rapid Support Forces in the three-hour battle on the outskirts of Al-Khoi.
This development comes after the Sudanese Armed Forces and its allied forces announced their control over the Ayel Bokhit area on November 7, 2026, following clashes with the Rapid Support Forces. The area holds strategic military importance due to its location near Al-Khoi and its proximity to the border between North and West Kordofan states. The area was previously used as a mobilization point for military operations and attacks on Sudanese Armed Forces positions in North Kordofan.
Securing Ayel Bokhit brings the Sudanese Armed Forces closer to Al-Khoi, a significant location in West Kordofan. However, this does not necessarily mean that the road to the city is entirely secure, given ongoing clashes and potential counterattacks. The advancement towards Ayel Bokhit is part of accelerated military movements in Kordofan, with the army and its allies seeking to regain strategic locations and expand their control around Al-Ubayyid and move towards the west and south of the region.
The joint force of armed movements had previously announced advances in several locations, including Am Samima, Kazqil, Al-Hammadi, and Abu Qaud, destroying 40 combat vehicles and seizing 43 others belonging to the Rapid Support Forces. In West Kordofan, the army had announced control over the Am Marahik area in Al-Khoi, and operations extended to the outskirts of Ayel Bokhit, aiming to approach Al-Khoi and pressure Rapid Support Forces positions in this axis.
The Sudanese Armed Forces had also announced the recapture of the city of Al-Mazrub in North Kordofan on October 2, 2026, adding a new location to the series of sites that have seen changes in control over recent months. Al-Khoi holds strategic importance beyond its administrative role in West Kordofan, serving as a link between central and western Sudan, and is a significant commercial and economic center related to livestock trade and Arabic gum production areas.
The city's significance also lies in its impact on movement and supply lines between North Kordofan and the west, as well as its location on axes leading to Al-Nuhud and other areas in the region. Therefore, advancing in Ayel Bokhit and surrounding areas puts Al-Khoi under direct military pressure and opens the door to a new phase of confrontations in West Kordofan, where control of roads and advanced locations appears to be a decisive factor in the direction of upcoming operations.
Key points
- The Sudanese army repelled a large-scale attack by the Rapid Support Forces in West Kordofan, killing a large number of attackers and destroying military equipment.
