Sudan military declared on Saturday that it has entered the central city of Wad Madani without resistance. The military reported this as an important victory in its ongoing struggle against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The army has released a video of its soldiers inside the city, which is the capital of El Gezira state. This is a key agricultural and trade center, and the RSF has held the city since December 2023.
If it captures Wad Madani, it would be the army’s greatest military achievement so far in this near-two-year-long war that started on April 2023. The escalations of this war have been over squabbles between the army and the RSF about the integration of their forces, unleashing one of the world’s worst humanitarian disasters, where over 12 million people have been displaced, and half the population now face hunger.
The Sudanese army issued a statement congratulating the people on its forces’ entry into Wad Madani, adding that they were focused on clearing out any remaining RSF holdouts within the city. El Gezira state, located south of Khartoum, has been a hotspot for violence, with RSF forces responsible for numerous civilian casualties, the destruction of fields, looting of hospitals and markets, and disruption of irrigation systems.
Despite its rich history as a prime agricultural land for centuries, there is an increased risk of famine in the region due to blockades imposed by the ongoing conflict. The army’s push to regain key areas, such as Sennar state, has been accompanied by intensified airstrikes that have bombarded largely civilian-populated areas.
Meanwhile, the RSF still controls most of western Sudan, including Darfur, where it is fighting hard with the army to take the city of al-Fashir, its last major stronghold in the region. The RSF and the army are also fighting in the White Nile state to the south.
