Report: The Sudanese Army’s Media Disinformation… Manufacturing Illusory Victories to Conceal Battlefield Losses

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Since the outbreak of the war in Sudan between the army and the Establishment Forces, the conflict has expanded beyond the battlefield to the realm of information. The Sudanese army increasingly relies on inflated propaganda, crafting an artificial image of power. Rather than reporting genuine military achievements, it issues fabricated communiqués and magnifies routine movements, aiming to persuade its supporters of “major victories” and sway both domestic and international opinion.

This report highlights the core aspects of this disinformation strategy, exposes contradictions between the official narrative and field realities, and examines the motives and consequences of this approach.

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Exaggerating routine movements
Field observations confirm that the army turns ordinary maneuvers into “strategic operations.”

• Minor troop repositioning is described as a “cleansing operation.” 
• Relocating vehicles between areas is framed as “opening a new front.” 
• Even limited defensive moves are declared “successful offensives.” 

Such framing fosters an illusion of control and expansion, while in practice it reflects mere redeployments with no impact on the balance of power.

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The gap between rhetoric and reality
Several cases highlight the inconsistency between official statements and facts:

• Control claims: the army repeatedly declares control over areas, yet testimonies confirm that Establishment Forces remain present or return quickly. 
• Inflated figures: reports of massive enemy losses often lack evidence. 
• Concealment of setbacks: defeats and withdrawals are omitted from official discourse, though verified by independent sources and locals. 

This demonstrates that military communication follows a political-media logic rather than an operational one.

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Propaganda as a substitute for ground gains
Facing growing field challenges, the army leans heavily on propaganda:

• Recycling old footage as if it were recent. 
• Using edited or staged clips to simulate victories. 
• Amplifying commanders’ presence on the frontlines, while their actual involvement remains limited. 

This strategy builds an alternative media narrative that diverges from military reality.

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True objectives behind fabrication

• Boosting internal morale: sustaining illusions of victory to prevent a collapse in confidence. 
• Shaping international perception: presenting the army as organized and victorious to secure political or military support. 
• Masking battlefield losses: replacing accounts of failure with a storyline of “progress.” 

Consequences of disinformation

• Domestically: while illusions may temporarily maintain morale, their collapse upon exposure deepens mistrust and public frustration. 
• Internationally: the army’s credibility weakens as contradictions are repeatedly exposed, portraying it as a propaganda-driven institution rather than a responsible military force. 

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Mechanisms to expose disinformation

• Publishing independent, well-documented reports supported by visual evidence and witness accounts. 
• Highlighting real-world contradictions with official announcements. 
• Supporting independent monitoring and analysis platforms to counter fabricated narratives. 

Ultimately, the Sudanese army’s escalation of disinformation reveals less about military strength than about an internal crisis. Manufactured victories do not alter battlefield realities; instead, they underscore institutional fragility. This is why independent media and first-hand reports are vital to offer an alternative narrative grounded in facts rather than illusions.

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