Sudan's military announced on Wednesday the recapture of the strategic city of Kurmuk in the Blue Nile region, while simultaneously pressing a broad offensive in Darfur and Kordofan — advances that analysts say mark a significant shift in the more than two-year civil war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group.

Kurmuk, a border city in Sudan's southeastern Blue Nile region close to Ethiopia and South Sudan, had been under the control of the RSF and its allied Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N), led by Abdelaziz al-Hilu, since their offensive in late March. The army said it retook the city after six hours of intense fighting, with its field commander reporting that the allied forces suffered heavy losses in personnel and equipment. Hundreds of civilians took to the streets in the regional capital, Ad-Damazin, in celebratory processions, carrying Sudanese flags. The regional governor called on the estimated 70,000 people who had fled Kurmuk's violence in March to return. The SAF commander for the region also announced that an amnesty offer to SPLM-N fighters loyal to Joseph Toka remains open.

In Darfur — the vast western region that has been the scene of some of the war's worst atrocities — the army is advancing rapidly toward Al-Geneina, the capital of West Darfur state. Al-Geneina fell to the RSF at the very start of the conflict; the United Nations estimates that 15,000 civilians, predominantly from the Massalit ethnic community, were killed there. The army has now taken the towns of Abu Sruj, Kulbus, and Jabel Moun, positioning its forces roughly 50 kilometres north of Al-Geneina. According to the military's allied joint force, around 10,000 fighters and three army divisions are participating in the current offensive. The RSF has reportedly sent reinforcements to the area, while its positions in Kordofan — the region in central Sudan — have been struck by heavy artillery and drones.

Analysts see a clear strategic logic behind the simultaneous push on multiple fronts. By capturing Kurmuk, the army cuts key supply lines linking the RSF and SPLM-N to Ethiopia and South Sudan, while also neutralising what observers describe as a deliberate RSF strategy of stretching the army thin by opening an eastern front. The military is also working to establish control over border areas with Chad, Ethiopia, and eventually Libya, aiming to sever RSF resupply routes entirely and open a corridor between northern and western Darfur.

The offensive unfolds amid political tension over international diplomacy. Observers note that the SAF has rejected proposals by Massad Boulos, the US presidential envoy for Africa, viewing him as too closely aligned with Abu Dhabi — a key backer of the RSF. By pressing forward on the battlefield, the army appears to be seeking a stronger position before any future negotiations. The RSF and affiliated platforms have disputed some of the military's claims, with one official describing the fighting as fluid and non-linear, while RSF leadership has notably refrained from directly addressing the fall of Kurmuk.