Sudan’s army is facing a crisis of confidence after losing Wad Madani, a strategic city in the country’s agricultural region, to the Rapid Support Forces, a rival paramilitary group that has been accused of war crimes.
The city, where tens of thousands of people had fled from the capital, Khartoum, when the war started in April, fell to the paramilitary group on Tuesday after four days of intense fighting. The army confirmed its withdrawal and said it had launched an investigation into the reasons for the defeat.
The loss of Wad Madani marks a watershed in the eight-month civil war that has upended life in the northeast African nation, killed at least 10,000 people, displaced millions more, and drawn in foreign powers and mercenaries. It also casts doubt on the future of Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the army chief and the head of state, who is facing mounting pressure from his ranks and from regional and international mediators to end the conflict.
The war began with a coup by al-Burhan and his deputy, Lt. Gen. Mohamed Hamdan, also known as Hemedti, who dissolved the power-sharing government that was formed after the ouster of the longtime dictator Omar Hassan al-Bashir in 2019. The coup triggered widespread protests and resistance from civilian and military factions that opposed the return of military rule.
Hemedti, who commands the Rapid Support Forces, a notorious militia that evolved from the Janjaweed groups that terrorized the Darfur region in the 2000s, soon turned against al-Burhan and accused him of betraying the revolution. His forces launched a series of attacks on army positions and government buildings in Khartoum and other cities, while al-Burhan relocated his government to Port Sudan, a coastal city in the east.
The United States, Saudi Arabia, and other countries have been trying to broker a ceasefire and a political solution, but their efforts have been hampered by the deep mistrust and animosity between the two generals. The latest round of talks in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, collapsed on Monday, as both sides accused each other of violating a humanitarian truce.
The fall of Wad Madani could pave the way for more violence and instability, as the Rapid Support Forces seek to consolidate their gains and advance on other strategic locations, such as Gedaref in the east and Kosti in the south. The paramilitary group has also been trying to woo some of the army officers and soldiers to defect and join its ranks, while al-Burhan is struggling to maintain the loyalty and morale of his troops.
The war has also increased the risk of foreign intervention, as some of the neighboring countries and regional powers have been accused of providing weapons and support to either side. The United Arab Emirates, for instance, has been backing the Rapid Support Forces, while Egypt and Saudi Arabia have been siding with the army. The paramilitary group has also been using anti-aircraft missiles supplied by the Russian Wagner group, a private military contractor, to counter the army’s air superiority.
The humanitarian situation in Sudan has deteriorated dramatically, as millions of people face food shortages, disease outbreaks, and human rights violations. Aid agencies have largely halted their operations in Wad Madani and other conflict zones, and the United Nations has moved its staff to safer areas or neighboring countries. Many civilians have fled their homes and walked for hours to seek refuge, while others have been trapped by the fighting and the blockade imposed by the paramilitary group.
Despite the bleak outlook, some Sudanese activists and civil society groups have not given up hope for a peaceful and democratic transition. They have been organizing protests, strikes, and campaigns to denounce the coup and the war, and to demand a return to civilian rule. They have also been calling for international pressure and sanctions on the warring parties, and the revival of the dialogue and mediation efforts.
Source: The New York Times
