Sudan Nasrha: Military achieves breakthrough in Omdurman | Rift between Civil Front for Democracy, Democratic Bloc | SPLM-N expels RSF from Habila

After weeks of intense fighting, the Sudanese Armed Forces achieved a major breakthrough in the tri-city capital of greater Khartoum late last week by connecting two military camps in north and south Omdurman and thereby breaking a monthslong siege on their forces. 

The military’s move to connect the two camps – the Engineers Crops in the south of Omdurman and Wadi Sidna in the north —  is expected to pave the way for the armed forces to advance into western Omdurman, thereby cutting off the Rapid Support Forces’ supply line to their forces stationed in the city center.

Following the breakthrough, the armed forces released footage on Friday from outside the Engineers Corps and the military hospital in Omdurman for the first time since the outbreak of the war. Civilians also took to the streets to celebrate the development. 

Meanwhile, in the neighboring Gezira State, the military is advancing in the south and southeast of the state, areas that the RSF seized control over in December.

The military’s progress in Khartoum and Gezira follows public comments from its leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan that the war will continue that he made during his military tours in the east and north of the country. 

Burhan’s deputy, Shams Eddin al-Kabashi has also embraced this resolute stance, particularly after facing criticisms for engaging in secret talks with RSF deputy commander Abdelrahim Dagalo in the Bahraini capital, Manama, in January.

Kabashi has slowly transitioned from a public stance indicating an openness to negotiations to a more assertive commitment to total victory on the battlefield as a means to end the war. During a speech in Kosti, located approximately 300 kilometers south of Khartoum, last week, amid ongoing military operations, he rejected any political conclusion to the war. This shift mirrors Burhan’s emphasis on military strategies in his speech in Gadarif city. Both leaders continue to demand the withdrawal of the RSF from cities and force the paramilitary group to retreat into designated camps before engaging in any political negotiations.

On the political front, Juba is attempting to intervene in the complex Sudanese landscape, offering mediation between Sudanese political forces as they have begun to outline their next moves. The Democratic Bloc — which includes a wide range of armed movements and civil political parties under the leadership of the Democratic Unionist Party led by Mohamed Osman al-Mirghani — has signaled its openness to engaging with the Civil Front for Democracy, led by former Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok. 

Meanwhile, Sudanese Islamists, represented by the Future Movement for Reform and Development, are preparing to announce their political vision.

At the same time, the military-aligned armed movements have intensified their military activities, as Justice and Equality Movement leader and head of the military liaison committee Abdelaziz Oshr visited the Wadi Sidna military base alongside a military delegation comprising representatives from all armed movements. Oshr affirmed that armed movements are in coordination with the military to arrange for full participation in all forthcoming military battles.

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How did the military connect its forces in Omdurman?

Long weeks of intense fighting in Omdurman have begun to shift in favor of the military, within the ongoing war raging in four Sudanese regions for the eleventh consecutive month. 

When clashes erupted in Khartoum last April, the RSF managed to seize control of strategic positions and swiftly tightened their grip on wide parts of the capital’s cities after isolating military camps from one another and imposing a siege on them. This allowed the paramilitary group to secure important sites, such as the Jabal Awliya camp in the far south of Khartoum, which houses the Nugumi air base. 

The RSF also captured the Jabal Awliya Dam, which includes a small bridge over the Nile connecting western Omdurman to southern Khartoum. The route currently serves as an RSF military supply line after their main supply line — the Shambat Bridge, which connects Omdurman and Khartoum Bahri — was severed when the bridge was destroyed in November, which proved to be a turning point in the battle for Omdurman.

With last week’s victory, the military’s position in Old Omdurman is on the verge of a complete turnaround. After more than ten months of the RSF’s control over the radio and television buildings, the historic headquarters are now within the military’s firing range. 

The RSF had been using the radio and television headquarters overlooking the White Nile and close to the Shambat Bridge to the north for military and logistical supply. They also secured their presence in the neighborhoods of Old Omdurman and cut off the Engineers Corps camp to the south from the Wadi Sidna military base to the north. 

This gave the RSF significant advantages in central and southern Omdurman after the outbreak of the war, as most units in the Omdurman military area are service, technical, and non-combat units, including the Engineers Corps, military hospital and other military facilities. 

However, prior to the current conflict, the Sudanese Armed Forces had resorted to planting mines in the vicinity of the Omdurman military area to counteract its fragile position, according to military engineers and soldiers who spoke to Mada Masr on condition of anonymity. Nevertheless, there were and still are advantages to the Engineers Corps, such as their ability to launch guided artillery.

Despite the vulnerable position of the military hospital, which overlooks Khartoum and sits opposite to the White Nile Bridge, the military secured it by deploying snipers to the building and installing jamming devices. These measures, in addition to the connection to the Engineers Corps via an internal road, were enough to safeguard the strategic point. 

The security composition of the southern and central areas of Omdurman posed a challenge for the military. Despite the fierce battles in these areas, aerial warfare was used sparingly, similar to the military’s strategy with the Armored Corps and General Command in southern and central Khartoum.

The complexities of Old Omdurman and the presence of the radio and television headquarters, which are symbols of the country's modern history, made the military adopt a more cautious approach, unlike how they attacked the new republican palace. To undertake strategic attacks in Old Omdurman, the military employed suicide drones.

Military tactics:

The Sudanese troops are engaged in multi-front battles in Omdurman, alongside other military-allied forces, such as the General Intelligence Service’s operations authority and the militarized Central Reserve Police, which is trained for urban warfare and fighting in a combat formation akin to the RSF’s.

The coordination of military-supporting forces follows a longstanding method that originated during the previous civil war in the south of Sudan. This approach involves the military integrating supporting forces under its command into a unified military formation called a "mobilized force," which transforms into a cohesive military unit through shared military training.

The military uses the tactic of deploying mobilized forces to avoid collapse or retreat. This strategy has proven effective in advancing on three fronts in Omdurman. 

The military’s key mobilized force, dubbed “Men of Resolve," played a crucial role in connecting the Engineers Corps to the Wadi Sidna military base.

Over the past ten months, the mobilized forces have followed a "military leap" strategy, where they advance on different fronts asynchronously, based on the military capabilities of each force, to besiege and encircle the RSF.

The military’s control over Old Omdurman:

A military source at the Wadi Sidna base told Mada Masr, on condition of anonymity, that the military’s control over expansive parts of Old Omdurman will enable it to provide crucial artillery cover for the entire eastern strip bordering Bahri, an advantage that the source says could provide decisive in the battle for Bahri.

Additionally, the military’s use of drones and its control over all crossings leading to Khartoum will allow for greater accessibility for the armed forces in Bahri and Khartoum, while confining the RSF exclusively to the eastern periphery of Khartoum city. 

This approach indicates that the military’s objective is not to expel the RSF from Khartoum, contrary to some interpretations of the military situation, but to confine the battles to exposed areas lacking a social base that could serve as a supply reserve for the RSF, according to the source.

The military is focusing on isolating these social bases that supply fighters to the RSF by recruiting fighters from armed movements to fight alongside the Sudanese Armed Forces in the war against the RSF. 

In the context of the armed movements’ alignment with the Sudanese Armed Forces, the coordinator of the joint force affiliated with the armed movements in Darfur and Oshr visited the Wadi Sidna military base as part of joint efforts to combat the RSF. 

Oshr heads the joint coordination committee of the armed movements' forces and the Sudanese military. The committee worked on arranging military affairs for the armed movement forces to engage in Khartoum’s battles. 

The armed movements deployed military reinforcements in three states: the River Nile, Kassala and Gadarif. 

Around 350 combat vehicles are estimated to have come from Fasher to Daba city in northern Sudan. They were then distributed to the rest of the three states where they established training camps.

According to a field source in the Justice and Equality Movement, these forces will participate in military operations in the states of Gezira and Khartoum, indicating that Oshr’s visit is part of the joint coordination with the military regarding military arrangements for the upcoming battles. 

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a military source told Mada Masr that this collaboration is not the first between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the armed movements. 

They noted that coordination first began in North Darfur State, when Bakhit Dabago, one of the founders of Darfur’s armed movements, was integrated in the military as an officer.

The source added that Dabago leads security coordination operations between the joint force and the military, given his strategic position in Fasher and his extensive connections with the military leadership of the armed movements. 

Meanwhile, a military source at the 19th Infantry Division in Merowe city in the north stated that should the military secure control over Omdurman, it would prompt an increase in the deployment of their mobilized forces. The source noted that they are preparing to dispatch reserve forces to the military’s General Command in Khartoum, where the armed forces are working on seizing control of the entire capital. 

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Victory doesn’t mean a halt in fighting

Turning back to the Engineers Corps, a field source told Mada Masr, on condition of anonymity, that the RSF attempted a surprise attack on Monday but fell into a military ambush hundreds of meters north of the Engineers Corps. This resulted in the destruction of several RSF combat vehicles and the deaths and injuries of dozens of its fighters. 

The source also indicated that a battalion from the Armored Corps, south of Khartoum, comprising snipers and special operations soldiers, crossed into Omdurman to lend support to the forces in the Engineers Corps. Their intervention played a significant role in repelling the RSF’s attack, according to the source. 

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Battles in South Kordofan and military reinforcements in Gezira

In Gezira State, ongoing military operations are shrouded in mystery amid widespread telecommunication blackouts. However, eyewitnesses have reported the arrival of military reinforcements from the Blue Nile State to Sennar State and areas adjacent to Gezira State. 

This coincides with Gezira Governor Al-Taher Ibrahim anticipating the military’s recapture of the state before the upcoming month of Ramadan. Ibrahim confirmed the arrival of forces from the GIS’ operations unit, the military and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement Army — led by deputy chairman of the Transitional Sovereignty Council Malik Agar — at the outskirts of Gezira in preparation for its liberation.

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Habila under the control of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement Army

The armed forces affiliated with the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North led by Abdelaziz al-Hilu (SPLM-N al-Hilu), managed to seize control of the Habila area in South Kordofan State, following fierce battles with the RSF last week. 

Local residents informed Mada Masr that the SPLM-N engaged in intense battles with the RSF that lasted for two days before the RSF retreated to the Debibat area.

A local activist reported that residents of the Uncu (Ghulfan) areas in Habila were subjected to attacks and violations by the RSF, especially in Tanqal, Zaltaiya, Qardoud al-Dakir and other villages, resulting in 24 deaths and around 11 injuries. 

The RSF had accused the residents of supporting the SPLM-N in their military operations against the paramilitary group. The source added that the people in the area are enduring dire humanitarian conditions, worsened by the telecommunication blackouts and the lack of means for delivering humanitarian aid and transferring the injured to hospitals. 

Habila, which fell under the RSF’s control in early January, is one of the most important agricultural regions in Sudan. However, the outbreak of the war exacerbated funding constraints, fuel shortages, and road blockades, forcing extensive agricultural areas to halt production. 

The Sudanese military and the SPLM-N have jointly confronted the RSF in several areas in South Kordofan.

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Juba mediating but political disputes continue

Amid ongoing political maneuvering that has seen various Sudanese parties pushing competing resolutions, Juba has attempted to unify the visions of political parties.

The Civil Front for Democracy’s official spokesperson Abdel Karim Saleh told Mada Masr that there is communication between South Sudan and the front, as they have presented a vision for resolving the political crisis in Sudan. He noted, however, that the front has not received any written political proposal for crisis resolution from the South Sudanese government.

On the other hand, Hassan Ibrahim, a leader in the Democratic Bloc, said that the bloc has submitted proposals to the South Sudanese government regarding ending the war and advancing the political process. 

Ibrahim stressed the imperative for Juba’s endorsement of the Democratic Bloc's vision and working toward uniting forces, especially in light of existing disparities between the bloc and the front. 

He added that bridging the gap through uniting all political forces is the step that the South Sudanese government should take. 

Speaking to Mada Masr, Saleh stressed that the front does not align with the Democratic Bloc because it contradicts their political vision, adding that the Democratic Bloc is a rebel entity supporting the war and serving as a platform for the de facto government in Port Sudan. 

Meanwhile, the Islamist landscape in Sudan is witnessing extensive shifts as groups aim to reposition themselves and reaffirm their support for the military and their vision in ending the war and  potential political transitions.

The Islamists rose to power through a military coup on June 30, 1989, maintaining a grip on the country for three decades until the revolution ousted them in April 2019. 

Since the outbreak of the war, however, the distinctions have been blurred. Many Islamist groups and pro-revolution groups have fought alongside the Sudanese Armed Forces. 

But many of the ousted Islamist regime’s political leaders have aligned themselves with the RSF, including  former Vice President Hasabu Mohamed Abdelrahman. 

While the Future Movement for Reform and Development announced its political vision and continues to hold workshops and seminars in Port Sudan, the newly appointed secretariat of the Popular Congress Party visited the Wadi Sidna military base in northern Omdurman as a means of declaring the party’s support for the military. 

The Shura Council of the Popular Congress Party voted in late January to remove Ali al-Haj from the position of Secretary General and appointed Amin Mahmoud as his replacement. Additionally, the previous decisions and alliances that the party had engaged in, especially with the Freedom and Change Coalition, were annulled. 

On the other hand, the General Secretariat led by Haj rejected the dismissal and attributed it to individuals who falsely assumed Shura Council roles, labeling the events as a complete fabrication and conspiracy aiming to halt efforts toward achieving a peaceful transition.

New Secretary General of the Popular Congress Party Amin Mahmoud told Mada Masr that the visit to the Wadi Sidna base was to show solidarity with the military as it is “fighting for Sudan.” 

Mahmoud indicated that the changes that occurred within the Popular Congress Party align with the party’s rejection of the imposition of secularism through the framework agreement and its decision to stand by the military in the war forced on the Sudanese people since April 2023. 

Mahmoud added that they aim to develop the party with a more inclusive leap for all Sudanese people, saying, "whoever says that we are not accepted, their premise for governance is based on wishful thinking. Elections alone should determine the validity of that." 

Regarding the extent of concessions that Sudanese Islamists can offer as they enter into joint political work with others, Mahmoud stated that Islamists are citizens and no party has the right to encroach on their legitimate political rights to organization, election and aspiration for governance, just like all other segments of society. 

He noted that they have not received any formal invitation from any party engaged in resolving Sudan’s political conflict and urged political forces not to involve foreign powers in internal disputes. 

Nevertheless, Mahmoud said that the party will announce its “comprehensive” vision for resolving the conflict in Sudan in the upcoming period, which is based on an all-Sudanese dialogue within the country and ending the war imposed on the people through genuine national will.