Sudanese army retakes Wad Madani from RSF

Sudanese army retakes Wad Madani from RSF
Sudanese army retakes Wad Madani from RSF

The Sudanese army has achieved a significant victory by recapturing Wad Madani, the capital of El Gezira state, from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), marking its most substantial gain in the civil war that began in April 2023. Citizens and military personnel celebrated in the streets as the army pushed out the paramilitary forces from this strategic central city.

However, the celebration was tempered by a drone attack on the Merowe Dam in northern Sudan, causing widespread power outages across several army-controlled cities, including Port Sudan, where the army-aligned government and UN operations are based. The army attributed this attack to the RSF, describing it as part of a "systematic campaign" targeting both military and vital infrastructure.

The recapture of Wad Madani could prove pivotal in the conflict, potentially allowing the army to disrupt RSF supply lines to Khartoum and the eastern regions. The operation involved multiple forces, including the Joint Forces and Sudan Shield, led by RSF defector Abuagla Keikal. RSF sources indicated their withdrawal was due to exhaustion from airstrikes and dwindling supplies.

El Gezira state has suffered severely under RSF occupation, with reports of civilian attacks, field burnings, hospital lootings, and the destruction of irrigation systems. The conflict has created one of the world's largest humanitarian crises, displacing over 12 million people and leaving half the population facing hunger.

General Shams el-Din Kabbashi, deputy leader of the armed forces, promised continued operations to "cleanse" the entire country. While the RSF maintains control of most of Khartoum, military experts suggest this victory could allow the army to intensify pressure on the capital, though warning of possible RSF counter offensives in other regions, particularly in Darfur.