The Sudanese army announced it had retaken Kulbus, a strategic town near the Chadian border, marking its most significant battlefield gain in western Darfur since the fall of El-Fasher last year. The Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which have been at war with the army since April 2023, had consolidated control over most of Darfur after capturing El-Fasher, the military’s last stronghold in the region.
Strategic Location and Control
Kulbus lies on a vital corridor near the border, roughly halfway between the army-held border town of Al-Tina in North Darfur and El-Geneina, the capital of West Darfur, which remains under RSF control. The military and its allied Joint Forces, a coalition of armed groups, had retained pockets of control along the Chadian border.
In a statement late Monday, the Joint Forces said their fighters had taken “full control” of the town in West Darfur after what they described as “decisive battles,” claiming to have inflicted heavy losses on RSF units and seized vehicles and weapons. The claims could not be independently verified, and the RSF has not commented.
RSF Accusations and Video Evidence
In a separate statement, a pro-army popular resistance group accused the RSF of using Kulbus as a staging ground for “thousands of fighters crossing the border” and as a key supply hub linked to El-Geneina. Video footage circulated by local media appeared to show men wearing Sudanese army uniforms celebrating in front of a sign reading “West Darfur State — Kulbus Locality.”
Intensified Fighting Along Chad Border
Fighting has intensified in recent months along the frontier between North and West Darfur as the army seeks to secure a strategic corridor along the border with Chad, which it accuses of being aligned with the RSF. Al-Tina, already at risk of famine according to the United Nations, has come under repeated RSF attacks this year.
In recent days, the UN, several governments, and aid organizations have warned of a possible RSF offensive on El-Obeid, a key city in the neighboring Kordofan region, raising fears of a repeat of the assault that led to the fall of El-Fasher.
Humanitarian Crisis
Now in its fourth year, the conflict has killed tens of thousands of people, displaced millions, and created the world’s largest hunger crisis. The ongoing violence continues to devastate civilian populations, with millions facing acute food insecurity and limited access to humanitarian aid.
