Battle of Barah
2026 Sudanese civil war battle
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Battle of Barah, was the March 2026 initial recapture of Barah, North Kordofan, during the Sudanese civil war (2023–present) from the RSF by the SAF, before the RSF seized control of the town again after 10 days of its recapture by the SAF. Subsequently, the Sudanese army regained control on July 26.[citation needed]
First Battle: RSF victory[1]
- SAF recapture the town on 5 march.
- RSF reoccupies the town after 10 days on March 16
- Start of the Barah massacre
Second Battle: SAF Victory[2]
- SAF recapture the town on 27 July
- End of the Barah massacre
- Many pro-RSF tribes and soldiers fighting in the city of Barah defected or surrendered.
| Battle of Barah | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Kordofan campaign (2023-present) | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 Rapid Support Forces |
 Sudanese Armed Forces | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
|
Hajj Hussein † Hibu Al-Salami (POW) | Abu Aqla Kaikal | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
|
Dozens killed |
500 killed 45 vehicles destroyed (according to RSF) | ||||||
| 51 civilians killed[4] | |||||||
Background
Since October 2025, Barah had been controlled by the RSF.[5]
On February 15, the SAF destroyed an air defense system of the RSF in Abu Zabad area of the region. The system was a Chinese short-range model FB-10, designed to take down low-altitude targets, such as drones, helicopters, and aircraft flying at low altitudes. Because of this, the SAF could freely conduct airstrikes on Barah.
Before the SAF's assault on the town, the Sudanese Air Force had carried out airstrikes on the town, inflicting significant casualties among RSF's lines.[5] These attacks were followed by a surprise assault on RSF's positions in north El Obeid from Dankoj, before they expelled the RSF from Barah.[3][6][5]
Battle
SAF first initial recapture
On March 5, the SAF expelled the RSF from Barah following a military operation, this operation resulted in the loss of dozens of RSF soldiers and the destruction of 32 military vehicles and the capture of 10 others.[3][6][5] Barah's recapture was strategically critical, as the town was a launch point for RSF's drones on El Obeid. Tens of thousands of civilians have been displaced from Barah, as control over the town have shifted rapidly.[4]
RSF recapture
On March 16, Barah was seized by the RSF once again, just after 10 days of SAF's recapture. This was the third time of power shifting in Barah since April 2023. The RSF have deployed dozens of combat vehicles, drones, and artillery in its recapture of the town, forcing the SAF to retreat to the town of al-Dankoj. The RSF have claimed that it killed 500 SAF soldiers and captured 45 vehicles, though, Reuters was unable to verify these claims.[citation needed]
SAF's second recapture
On 25 July, the SAF launched an offensive to recapture areas of North Kordofan, including Barah. The military said in a statement that the forces have retaken Barah, along with other major areas in the state. The SAF also claimed it destroyed 73 RSF combat vehicles, seizing an unknown amount of vehicles, and killing several RSF fighters and officers.[7]