continued……. By pushing deep into West Kordofan and securing key axes around al-Khawi and Wad Banda, the army is neutralizing RSF positions while clearing vital logistics corridors.
"This is extremely significant because the RSF tried to establish a last line of defense here to prevent the army from reaching the strategic towns of Umm Badr and Hamrat al-Sheikh, which are close to the country's border between North Kordofan and [RSF-occupied] Darfur," noted analyst Mohnad Albalal.
The army's push into West Kordofan fits into a wider pattern of RSF collapse, as the militia faces waves of defections.
In recent months, army operations throughout the Kordofan region have captured over ten settlements, destroyed dozens of RSF combat vehicles and intercepted a large number of FH-95 long-range UAVs operating in the area.
Observers point out that these victories pave the way for the army's wider push into Darfur.
"My prediction is that [the Sudanese army] is going to enter Darfur before the end of the year," said analyst Cameron Hudson, who suggested that military control in Darfur could make the army and the RSF more inclined to cut a ceasefire agreement.