Sudan Military Lifts Kadugli Siege as African Union Membership Push Faces Setbacks
Khartoum, 7 February 2026
Sudan’s military broke a two-year siege on Kadugli whilst the government intensifies efforts to rejoin the African Union before its 14 February session. However, AU officials remain sceptical about reinstating Sudan’s membership, suspended since 2021, citing ongoing warfare and absence of credible ceasefire plans. Prime Minister Kamel Idris’s diplomatic campaign has yielded preliminary approval to return to regional bloc IGAD, but internal political divisions and international demands for comprehensive peace roadmaps continue hampering broader reintegration efforts.
Context: Continental Powers Signal Renewed Commitment
These developments build upon earlier diplomatic initiatives, as African Union and European Union leaders strengthened the Horn of Africa Peace Initiative through enhanced multilateral cooperation aimed at addressing regional crises affecting millions across Sudan, Somalia, and South Sudan. The current military breakthrough in Kadugli represents a significant shift from the sustained siege warfare that has characterised the conflict since April 2023 [1].
Military Breakthrough Ends Two-Year Siege
On Tuesday, 3 February 2026, Sudanese Armed Forces announced they had successfully broken the siege on Kadugli, the capital of South Kordofan state, after intense fighting against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and Sudan People’s Liberation Movement–North (SPLM-N) [1][2]. The military operation reopened the critical 130 kilometre road between Al-Dalang and Kadugli, ending a blockade that had strangled the city since October 2023 [1][2].
Humanitarian Crisis Reaches Breaking Point
The siege’s end provides crucial relief to Kadugli’s population, which has endured severe deprivation since supply routes were sealed by the end of June 2025 [1]. The humanitarian situation deteriorated so dramatically that famine was formally declared in the city in November 2025, highlighting the urgent need for aid access [1]. The reopening of transportation links could prove vital for addressing the acute food shortages that have plagued the region throughout the protracted conflict.
African Union Membership Push Encounters Obstacles
Despite the military breakthrough, Sudan’s campaign to restore its African Union membership faces significant hurdles. AU officials have indicated that current conditions do not permit reinstatement of Sudan’s membership, which was suspended in October 2021 following the military coup [2][3]. An AU Commission official stated that ‘establishing transitional institutions alone is not enough for reinstatement, as long as the war continues without a credible roadmap for ending it’ [1].
Regional Integration Sees Limited Progress
Sudan achieved a procedural victory on Wednesday, 5 February 2026, when the military-led Security and Defence Council gave preliminary approval for the country to rejoin the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) [1][2]. Sudan had withdrawn from IGAD two years prior, accusing some member states of supporting the RSF [1][2]. This decision followed a late January 2026 IGAD statement calling for Sudan’s return after Prime Minister Idris met with IGAD Executive Secretary Workneh Gebeyehu [1].
International Mediation Efforts Continue
On 3 February 2026, US Senior Advisor Massad Boulos announced that a new draft truce proposal had been prepared after consultations with warring parties, the Quad, the UN, and other partners [1]. The plan includes provisions for limited withdrawals to facilitate aid delivery, though Boulos confirmed the proposal ‘is still being finalised and has not been presented to either side’ [1]. This represents the first major diplomatic initiative since Sudan rejected the previous Quad truce proposal three months earlier [1].