The fighting which has been going on for eight months now between the Sudanese army of General al-Burhan and the FSR of General Mohamed Hamdane Daglo has reached the town of Wad Madani since Friday. The state capital of al-Jazeera has been welcoming tens of thousands of displaced people for months. There are 270,000 in need of assistance, according to the United Nations. Wad Madani is located only 180 km from Khartoum the capital and is a strategic location that the RSF seeks to dominate.
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Rapid Support Forces led by Mohamad Hamdane Daglo already have in their possession four major towns and 25 villages in eastern al-Jazeera state. Dominating Wad Madani, a city which, in addition to its economic and demographic weight, has acquired strategic importance allows them to expand their military and political influence.
Wad Madani is in fact located between Khartoum, Darfur and Kordofan. It is vital for supplying ammunition and fuel for the FSR. Having it in their possession allows them to improve their situation and have a stronger influence. in the upcoming negotiations.
The city is also home to one of the most important military bases in the country: the army land forces command. On Monday, the two belligerents took turns claiming to have had control over this base but the information was impossible to verify from an independent source. In a statement on X (formerly Twitter), the paramilitaries claimed to have taken control of, among other things, “ the army’s first infantry division at Wad Madani “. The army, for its part, assured that “ the security situation in al-Jazeera state has stabilized »calling on residents to “ not leaving their homes “.
Residents and refugees are caught in the crossfire and the situation has made any exit from Wad Madani very complicated, which worries the United Nations and humanitarian aid authorities.
According to several sources, Abu Akla Kikel, a former army officer at the head of the al-Jazeera shield forces, is leading this operation. He recently joined the RSF with all this force. Its members are mainly from the state of al-Jazeera.
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