Sudan Nashra: Military stronghold in Babanusa under attack | Fasher joint forces criticize Cairo workshop | Foreign Ministry building case against UAE

As the war in Sudan between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces rages on, the fight for legitimacy continues to dominate their public comments and diplomatic moves. 

However, as neither side seems able to make a breakthrough in the fighting on the ground, and in diplomatic circles, it appears likely to continue without an end in sight.

This week saw the military and the Sudanese state further escalate their criticism of the United Arab Emirates, with a source in the Foreign Ministry telling Mada Masr that the government is preparing a memo against the Gulf state to be submitted to the United Nations Security Council. 

In Cairo, RSF figures and members of armed groups aligned with the militia gathered under the auspices of French organization Promediation for a three-day workshop sponsored by the French and Egyptian foreign ministries to address the situation in the besieged Dafuri city of Fasher. The Sudanese Armed Forces downplayed the importance of the workshop and denied being invited. Members of the joint forces stationed in Fasher criticized the workshop in comments to Mada Masr, calling it a divisive move that comes after former Sovereignty Council members and armed group leaders failed to enter the city to cause division and oust the military. 

Finally, despite efforts by civil leaders in the West Kordofan State city of Babanusa in recent weeks to prevent the war from coming to the important border area, which is already beset by ethnic and border tensions, fighting has engulfed the area in recent days. The military unit in the city has seen major troop reinforcements arrive, as RSF troops, led by Hemedti’s brother Abdelrahim Dagalo, continue to attack the Babanusa.  

Sudanese state prepares case against RSF

The Sudanese Armed Forces’ increasing insistence on a military solution to the war — a position that has crystallized in recent weeks following the major setbacks the military faced in losing the strategic city of Wad Madani in the middle of December —  could be seen clearly in a speech by Yasser al-Atta, the assistant commander-in-chief of the Sudanese Armed Forces, addressed to troops in Omdurman on Monday. 

Atta told the troops fighting in the capital that the military will continue its operations until it eliminates the RSF and regains control of all areas currently held by them.

Atta also took aim at the RSF’s largest political and military backer, the UAE, announcing the initiation of proceedings against it in international and regional organizations, including international courts. He called on the Sudanese Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief and leader of the Sovereignty Council, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan to respond to the demands of the citizens and file an official complaint with the United Nations Security Council.

Atta's stance against the UAE was confirmed by a diplomatic source in the Sudanese Foreign Ministry, who told Mada Masr that the Gulf state’s support for the RSF has been monitored. The source added that the government would not take action without accurate information and meticulous monitoring from specialized security, political and diplomatic entities. Currently, the government is in the process of presenting all of this evidence through official channels. "No country or organization that supports the RSF, whether it is the UAE or any other entity, will escape unscathed,” the source said.

***

Continued struggle for legitimacy

Amid the ongoing conflict in Sudan, the war has taken a turn where the struggle for legitimacy is shaping the positions and political discourse of all parties involved, influencing their attempts to impose their supremacy on all actors in Sudan.

In the heat of the conflict, Burhan responded aggressively to the Civil Front for Democracy who refused to acknowledge him as the head of the Sovereignty Council and only recognized him as the military’s commander-in-chief. This led him to reject any proposal that questioned his legitimacy and position as the head of the Sovereignty Council.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a source from the Sovereignty Council told Mada Masr that they closely follow the discourse of political forces making statements that delegitimize the council. They described it as dangerous and unaligned with what they referred to as “national principles,” saying it undermines the state's sovereignty on its territory and allows for its division. The source also emphasized that this grants the RSF immunity for their actions and crimes against citizens.

The source stressed that the Sudanese government will not engage with any calls seeking to delegitimize the state and its institutions, referring to the Civil Front for Democracy’s request to meet with Burhan.

The search for legitimacy remains a concern for Hemedti, who has been actively seeking it since his public appearance last month during his meetings with African regional leaders, in order to allow him to sit with Burhan as an equal, not as the leader of dissolved forces.

A source in the RSF political leadership told Mada Masr on condition of anonymity that all meetings between Hemedti and African leaders have made it clear that he officially represents Sudanese military forces in contrast to Burhan, who, the source said, is the military leader and is now usurping the state for his own benefit and the benefit of the former regime. The source emphasized that the RSF will only meet with Burhan in his capacity as the military leader, not as the head of the Sovereignty Council, and that they have clearly communicated their stance to the IGAD heads and all the leaders that Hemedti has met during his regional tour.

***

Joint forces in Fasher reject Cairo workshop as self-serving bid by pro-RSF armed groups

Earlier this week, the French organization Promediation organized a three-day workshop in Cairo in coordination with the Egyptian and French foreign ministries. The workshop, which was attended by representatives from the RSF and several other armed groups, was billed as an effort to reach joint mechanisms for a ceasefire and humanitarian access in Fasher — the capital of the Darfur region that is currently besieged by the RSF. The initiative also aimed to foster discussions about security and humanitarian conditions across Sudan. 

The military spokesperson issued a statement on Tuesday noting that the Sudanese Armed Forces are neither interested in the workshop nor have they received an official invitation. 

Addressing the conference, a source in the joint forces’ leadership – the military-aligned unit composed of members from the Justice and Equality Movement and the Sudanese Liberation Movement — in Fasher told Mada Masr that the attendance of expelled Sovereignty Council members Abu Bakr Hagar and Al-Hadi Idris at the workshop comes after they failed to neutralize or remove the Sudanese Armed Forces in Fasher. It is a sign, the source said, that they are seeking to establish a role for themselves by exploiting all conflicts and disputes for their own benefit.

The first leg of the Promediation workshop, to which Darfur’s RSF, armed movements and civilian administration were invited, began in Addis Ababa on November 21. However, it failed to reach a clear outcome due to the stance of Darfur Governor Minni Minnawi, who rejected forming a civilian government under the threat of armed aggression.

The source within the joint forces stated that only leaders who are seeking status within the region would participate in the Cairo workshop. The source said that this workshop has no value on the ground because the region's leadership, as well as that of the joint forces, will not engage separately with the RSF. The matter is clear to them, the source adds, saying military issues should be discussed within an inclusive framework.

A source within the Sudanese Liberation Movement, led by Minnawi, told Mada Masr on condition of anonymity that some leaders who have aligned themselves with the RSF and Hemedti’s choice of action are seeking personal gains from their political and military positions.

The source added that they are maneuvering on two levels: first, to advance the agenda of the Civil Front for Democracy and second, to remove the military from Fasher and divide the joint forces, ultimately allowing the RSF to gain control over the entire Darfur region.

While the Cairo workshop was underway, renewed fighting broke out in northeastern Fasher in the Abu Shouk shelter camp for the displaced between the RSF and Sudanese Armed Forces, who were supported by the joint forces. Citizens told Mada Masr that the battles, which lasted for hours, were accompanied by light and heavy shelling, especially artillery fire from the Sudanese Armed Forces and mortar shells from the RSF. Injuries were reported among civilians, and the main market was closed.

***

Babanusa engulfed in battles

For the fourth consecutive day, the city of Babanusa in the West Kordofan State has been consumed by fighting between the military and the RSF. 

Fierce fighting erupted in the outskirts of the city on January 23, but the military later contained the situation, repelling the RSF which had mobilized from the city of Al-Daein, the capital of East Darfur State, toward West Kordofan State.

However, the RSF continues to attack the city. Intense clashes resumed on Wednesday after the RSF attempted to enter the city from two directions. 

The fighting represents a failure by local leaders from the Messiria tribe to dissuade the RSF from attacking the city for fear of the fallout in the fragile social makeup of the city, a local source previously told Mada Masr on condition of anonymity. The civilian administration of Babanusa has held multiple meetings this month in an attempt to prevent the war from reaching the city, declaring their insistence on keeping the military in its positions, according to the source. 

With the fighting raging on, the same source expressed concerns in recent days about the possible fall of the military’s 22nd Division, which would leave the region vulnerable to attacks by armed gangs in southern border areas with South Sudan.

The source added that the current confrontation comes amid renewed tension between local leadership and the RSF, with the military holding their ground in the division barracks and residents joining their ranks, according to the source.

On the military front, an Armed Forces source in the 22nd Division who spoke to Mada Masr on condition of anonymity said that a new batch of 4,000 recruits has joined various units. The source emphasized that the division is prepared for the fight and will not retreat from their position. 

A field source from the RSF in West Kordofan State told Mada Masr on condition of anonymity that the situation regarding the 22nd Division has been resolved, and that they are now working on seizing control and completely removing the military from the city. The source added that the battles are led by Abdelrahim Dagalo, along with other RSF elements from the East Darfur and West Kordofan states.

The RSF had deployed additional reinforcements, which arrived late on the night of January 23 at the city's borders.

The RSF source stated that Dagalo’s arrival in the city is driven by his determination to capture the Babanusa 22nd Division. 

***

Intensified airstrikes in Darfur

In Darfur, military warplanes conducted extensive airstrikes on sites in the southern areas of the region, specifically hitting areas around the Geneina International Airport area on January 22. 

Witnesses reported that the military targeted several neighborhoods surrounding the airport last week. According to a military source who spoke to Mada Masr on condition of anonymity the military was targeting RSF storage facilities containing weapons that the militia had brought in to expand their attacks in various areas of Sudan.

Sources in South Darfur State confirmed that the military also shelled sites outside the city, with the intense airstrikes reaching western areas of Nyala city. Columns of smoke were seen rising in multiple areas. 

A resident of the city who spoke to Mada Masr on condition of anonymity said that the military targeted RSF combat vehicles, a number of military trucks, in addition to gold mining sites in South Darfur.

According to another military source, speaking to Mada Masr on condition of anonymity, the military has obtained information indicating that the RSF is attempting to smuggle new military equipment into the country through various smuggling routes.