Sudan War: Is a Decisive Battle Approaching?
The battlefield and control strategies in Sudan are evolving rapidly as clashes continue between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Khartoum and Al-Jazirah states.
Military sources reported that the army’s armored division, stationed south of the capital Khartoum, reached the National Currency headquarters on Wednesday and is advancing toward the Military Strategy headquarters and the Al-Fatihab Bridge, which connects Khartoum and Omdurman.
According to these sources, Sudanese army forces have taken control of Al-Rumaila district, south of Khartoum, and are approaching a junction with other army units in the Al-Muqrin area, in the center of the capital.
The sources, speaking anonymously, added that the RSF have mobilized their forces and military equipment to prevent the Sudanese army from expanding into central Khartoum.
To counter this, the RSF reinforced their military presence around the Presidential Palace and key government institutions in the heart of the city.
Currently, the RSF still control several strategic sites in Khartoum, including the Presidential Palace, Giad Industrial Complex, Khartoum International Airport, the Central Bank of Sudan, the Zain Telecommunications Tower, Al-Fateh Tower, the Prime Minister’s Office, Souq Al-Arabi, the Soba military camp, and the Sports City.
They also hold the Air Defense Camp, the Central Reserve headquarters, Taiba Camp, the National Intelligence and Security Service headquarters, the Military Intelligence Institute, the Higher Security Academy, the Special Operations Directorate, and the Military Police headquarters.
Commenting on these developments, writer and political analyst Anwar Suleiman stated that “the rapid field developments indicate that the battles in the capital, Khartoum, have reached a ‘bone-crushing’ phase.”
Suleiman added, “These developments may force the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to retreat westward towards Darfur, or they might choose to hold their ground, which would mean that the capital will remain part of a prolonged battlefield.”
Meanwhile, writer and political analyst Abdel Moneim Abdullah observed that “these developments signify a complete shift in the military situation, a transformation that began last September when the army regained control of Jebel Moya and advanced in Al-Jazirah State, particularly in its northern regions. This progress allows the army to encircle Khartoum from the south and east.”
Abdullah further stated, “If we add to this the Sudanese army’s control over the city of Burri in northern Khartoum, then the RSF forces stationed in the capital will find themselves besieged from three directions, leaving them with no option but to withdraw.”
Since mid-April 2023, the Sudanese army and the RSF have been engaged in a war that has resulted in over 20,000 deaths and displaced approximately 14 million people, according to the United Nations and local authorities. However, research from American universities estimates the death toll to be around 130,000.
