The Sudanese military has entered the strategic city of Wad Madani in Gezira state, pushing out the rival Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group after over a year of RSF control. The Sudanese armed forces confirmed the advance in a statement on Saturday, stating they were working to “clean up the remaining rebel pockets” in the city.
“We congratulate the Sudanese people on our forces entering the city of Wad Madani this morning,” the army said. The RSF had held the city since December 2023, and there was no immediate comment from the paramilitary group.
The office of government spokesperson Khalid al-Aiser said the army had “liberated” the city, with a video showing soldiers inside the city. The army’s advance into Wad Madani follows days of gaining control over villages in southern and southeastern Gezira state. The military captured Hantoub Bridge, a key route leading into the city, earlier in the day.
The conflict between Sudan’s army and the RSF, which began in April 2023, has led to widespread displacement and famine. According to the UN, Sudan is facing the world’s worst displacement crisis, with more than 12 million people displaced, and millions have fled to neighboring countries.
Wad Madani is strategically significant as it serves as a crossroads for key highways linking several states and is located near the capital, Khartoum. Both the army and RSF have been accused of committing war crimes, including targeting civilians and indiscriminate shelling of residential areas.
As the army gains ground, witnesses in Sudan’s army-controlled cities reported celebrations in the streets, with many hailing the recapture of Wad Madani as an end to RSF “tyranny.” The local resistance committee, a network of pro-democracy groups, praised the army’s advance.
The war between the Sudanese military and RSF has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions, with parts of the country under siege. The RSF still controls much of the central Gezira state, Sudan’s western Darfur region, and significant parts of the southern regions, while the army holds areas in the north and east, including parts of Khartoum.
