Sudan’s army chief, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, visited troops on Friday in a strategic area of North Kordofan state that his forces had recaptured from the paramilitary RFS group last month, the country’s Sovereignty Council announced.

The council released photos of Burhan’s arrival in the Rahid al-Nuba area, a key hub on a transport route about 215 km (134 miles) from the capital Khartoum. No official statement was issued explaining the objectives of the visit.

The army, which took back the area on July 30, is preparing for a push to retake the town of Bara.

Securing North Kordofan is viewed by the military as a necessary step before attempting to recapture West Kordofan state and advance on the neighbouring Darfur region, which is largely controlled by the rival Rapid Support Forces (RSF).