The Sudanese military recaptured the key city of Wad Madani in Sudan’s breadbasket region on Saturday, expelling a paramilitary group that the United States accused of genocide last week.
Sudan’s information minister announced that the army had “liberated” the city, while military officials stated that troops were working to “clear the remnants of the rebels” from the area.
If the army can maintain control of Wad Madani, it would mark its most significant victory since the onset of the war nearly two years ago. Experts suggest that this development may shift the focus of the conflict northward to Khartoum, the capital.
Videos circulating online depicted the army entering Wad Madani, located approximately 100 miles south of the capital. Local media reported that fighters from the Rapid Support Forces (R.S.F.) were fleeing the city.
The R.S.F. leader, Gen. Mohamed Hamdan, acknowledged defeat but expressed determination to recapture the city, stating, “Today we lost a round; we did not lose the battle,” in an audio address to his fighters and the Sudanese populace.
The military's victory prompted celebrations in army-held regions, with many Sudanese hoping it could signify a turning point in the ongoing civil war, which has resulted in massacres, ethnic cleansing, and a widespread famine in one of Africa’s largest nations.
People gathered in the battle-scarred streets of Khartoum, while church bells rang in Port Sudan, the wartime de facto capital where many have sought refuge from the fighting. Celebrations also occurred among exiled Sudanese in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar.
The R.S.F. defeat follows a year after the group captured Wad Madani, leading to the displacement of tens of thousands and causing significant unrest across Sudan. The R.S.F. subsequently seized large areas of the country, extending beyond their stronghold in Darfur.
Much of the most intense fighting has taken place in Darfur, where R.S.F. fighters have been accused of massacring rival ethnic groups, as reported by human rights organizations and the United Nations. Last week, the United States formally classified these killings as genocide and imposed sanctions on R.S.F. leader General Hamdan, also known as Hemeti.
Additionally, the United States sanctioned seven companies in the United Arab Emirates for allegedly trading gold and procuring weapons for the R.S.F.
In recent months, the conflict appeared to shift as the R.S.F. lost ground in Khartoum and parts of eastern Sudan. The military's counteroffensive in the Wad Madani area culminated in the city’s recapture on Saturday.
However, it remains uncertain whether this victory will fundamentally alter the conflict's trajectory. Since the war began in April 2023, the momentum has fluctuated significantly.
The army and the R.S.F. were previously allies, collaborating in a military coup in 2021. In the ongoing conflict, they have received support from different foreign powers.
The R.S.F. has been backed by the United Arab Emirates, which has supplied weapons and advanced drones, primarily smuggled into Sudan from neighboring countries. Conversely, the Sudanese military has acquired weapons from Iran, Russia, and Turkey. Both factions exploit the country’s extensive gold reserves to finance their operations.
For ordinary Sudanese citizens, the war has resulted in widespread suffering, death, and destruction, claiming tens of thousands of lives, displacing 11 million people, and triggering one of the worst famines in decades.
The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (I.P.C.) reported last month that famine conditions have emerged in five areas of Sudan, with expectations of further spread in the coming months. In total, 25 million Sudanese are experiencing acute or chronic hunger.
Both sides have been accused of committing atrocities and war crimes, according to the United Nations and U.S. officials, although only the R.S.F. has faced allegations of ethnic cleansing.