CAIRO — Sudan’s army and its allies have taken again a strategic metropolis from the insurgent Speedy Assist Forces, officers mentioned Saturday, dealing a significant blow to the infamous paramilitary group which america accused of committing genocide within the nation’s ongoing civil struggle.
The recapture of the town of Wad Medani, the capital of Gezira province, got here greater than a yr after it fell to the RSF. Wad Medani had beforehand been a protected haven for displaced households within the early months of the struggle.
The battle in Sudan began in April 2023 when simmering tensions between the leaders of the army and the RSF exploded into open combating within the capital, Khartoum, and different cities throughout the sprawling northeastern African nation.
The battle has killed greater than 28,000 individuals, compelled thousands and thousands to flee their houses and left some households consuming grass in a determined try and survive as famine swept components of the nation. It has been marked by gross atrocities together with ethnically motivated killing and rape, in accordance the United Nations and rights teams. The Worldwide Felony Court docket mentioned it was investigating alleged struggle crimes and crimes towards humanity.
Earlier this month, the Biden administration mentioned that the RSF and its proxies are committing genocide, and slapped sanctions on the RSF chief, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, in addition to seven RSF-owned corporations within the United Arab Emirates, together with one dealing with gold doubtless smuggled out of Sudan.
The army mentioned in a press release that its forces had entered Wad Medani early Saturday and that they had been working to “clear the rebels’ remnants inside the town.”
“Congratulations to the Armed Forces, their supporting forces in all places and to our individuals as they reclaim their dignity, safety and stability,” the assertion mentioned.
There was no quick remark from the RSF.
Tradition and Info Minister Kahlid Aleiser, who’s the federal government spokesman, mentioned the army and its allies “liberated” Wad Medani, which is about 100 kilometers (60 miles) southeast of Khartoum.
Troopers posted movies on social media purportedly displaying forces celebrating with residents within the metropolis heart. One video confirmed residents taking to the streets to have fun the “liberation” of the town, and shouting, “Allah is Nice.”
Because the RSF captured Wad Medani in December 2023, tens of hundreds of individuals have been compelled to flee their houses in and across the metropolis.
In latest months the RSF has suffered a number of battlefield blows, giving the army the higher hand within the struggle. It has misplaced management of many areas in Khartoum, the capital’s sister metropolis of Omdurman, and the jap and central provinces.
The struggle has created the world’s largest displacement disaster, driving over 14 million individuals — about 30% of the inhabitants — from their houses, in response to the United Nations. An estimated 3.2 million individuals have crossed into neighboring international locations together with Chad, Egypt and South Sudan.
Famine has been additionally detected in not less than 5 areas, together with three camps for displaced individuals within the western Sudanese area of Darfur, in response to a world monitoring venture, the Built-in Meals Safety Classification, or IPC. The IPC mentioned 5 different areas are projected to expertise famine within the subsequent six months. Extra areas are additionally liable to famine, it mentioned.
