Siege of Babanusa

The siege of Babanusa is a siege of the Sudanese civil war. The siege started when fighting erupted between the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) on 22 January 2024 near Babanusa.^[6] As of March 2025, the city remains under siege by the RSF.^[3]

Siege of Babanusa
Part of the Sudanese civil war (2023–present)
Date Initial assault: 22 January – 5 February 2024 (2 weeks) Siege: 22 January 2024 - present (1 year, 2 months, 3 weeks and 4 days) Location Babanusa, West Kordofan, Sudan Status Ongoing SAF repels initial assault.[1] Artillery clashes on 6 May 2024 kills commanders from both sides[2] RSF still lays siege to the city, but major attacks have ceased.[3]
Belligerents
Sudanese Armed Forces	Rapid Support Forces
Commanders and leaders
Abdullah Muhammad al-Dagal † Ibrahim al-Tom Jali †	Abdel Rahim Daglo[4] Hamid Fadlallah † Ibrahim al-Sharif † Abdul-Rahman Difallah †
Casualties and losses
100 killed 45,000 displaced[5]

Prelude

On 13 January 2024, the Sudanese Armed Forces launched airstrikes on the nearby city of El Tibbun. In retaliation, the Rapid Support Forces mobilized significant forces in various directions around Babanusa, including in El Tibbun, Samoaa in the southwest, and Muglad in the south.^[7]

Siege

On 22 January 2024, the RSF launched an offensive with the aim of seizing control of the 22nd Infantry Division headquarters in Babanusa, West Kordofan.^[8] The initial assault was successful for the RSF, capturing several police stations and also releasing videos of RSF soldiers inside of the 22nd Infantry Divisions headquarters, signaling its capture. Later counterattack attempts from the SAF succeeded and RSF forces were pushed out of the headquarters.^[7]

A two-day ceasefire was held on 28 January by the Misseriya native administration to allow civilians to escape the conflict, however the fighting continued despite the ceasefire attempts.^[7]

In an audio recording on 11 February, the head of the RSF, Hemedti, claimed victory in Babanusa and Omdurman. The Sudanese Army responded within a few hours denying this claim and accused Hemedti of "misinformation." The statement further claimed that the RSF suffered "heavy losses" in recent clashes with the army. The Sudanese Army released videos showing their troops in control of the Mohandiseen area and asserted that its forces controlled the Babanusa garrison.^[9]

Humanitarian impact

50 civilians died and significant property damage occurred due to the siege as of January 2024.^[10][11] Total casualties were reportedly 100 people.^[7]

The siege escalated an already dire humanitarian crisis in Sudan, displacing another 45,000 people.^[10][7]