Sudan civil war: Major setback for RSF as army enters paramilitary's key stronghold in Al-Jazira

The Sudanese military and allied armed groups launched an offensive Saturday (January 11), entering the Al-Jazira state capital of Wad Madani after more than a year under the control of paramilitary forces, the army announced.

In a statement, the armed forces “congratulated” the Sudanese people in a move that the office of government spokesman and Information Minister Khalid al-Aiser described as having “liberated” the city.

Army celebrates win

A video shared by the army on social media appeared to show fighters inside the city near Hantoub Bridge, on Wad Madani’s northern edge, which has been under the control of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitaries since December 2023. AFP cited an army source as saying that troops had “stormed the city’s eastern entrance.”

Eyewitness accounts reported army forces spreading throughout Wad Madani, with celebrations erupting in army-controlled cities across the country. A months-long communications blackout was still in place on ground.

War’s toll on civilians

The ongoing conflict between Sudan’s army and the RSF, which began in April 2023, has created what the United Nations has called the world’s worst displacement crisis. The war has killed tens of thousands and forced over 12 million people from their homes, with more than three million fleeing across borders.

In the early stages of the war, Al-Jazira had became a refuge for over half a million people displaced by the Sudan civil war.

However, a December 2023 offensive by the RSF paramilitary uprooted more than 300,000, leaving many repeatedly displaced. The United States recently accused the RSF of committing genocide in the conflict.

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The fighting has devastated Sudan, with famine declared in parts of the country and millions in desperate need of aid. The conflict has also destabilised the region, with refugees crossing borders to reach South Sudan, Chad, and other countries in the neighbourhood.

With inputs from agencies