Sudan army recaptures Umm Ruwaba
Fighting intensifies in Khartoum Bahri as SAF exploits breakthrough
The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) on Thursday recaptured Umm Ruwaba, a city in North Kordofan along a major commercial corridor, nearly two years after it was seized by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
A previous SAF attempt to advance along this axis was repulsed with heavy losses, but the SAF resumed efforts late last year, advancing gradually as part of a coordinated offensive across multiple theaters of battle.
Troops from the 18th Infantry Division in White Nile State, based in Tendelti, have been pushing westward through villages east of Umm Ruwaba, engaging RSF forces stretched thin by simultaneous battles in central and western parts of the country. SAF said in a statement it had taken control of the city, describing the RSF as a “terrorist militia” and claiming to have inflicted heavy losses on the group.
“With Allah's grace and guidance, our armed forces have cleansed the city of Umm Rawaba from the terrorist Dagalo militia, inflicting heavy losses on them,” SAF spokesman Brigadier-General Nabil Abdallah said in a brief statement on Facebook.
Videos geolocated by Sudan War Monitor confirm the arrival of SAF troops in Umm Ruwaba, with local residents celebrating their arrival.
Umm Ruwaba is North Kordofan’s second-largest city after El Obeid. It was turned into an RSF command center early in the war. The town’s recapture brings SAF a step closer to relieving El Obeid, the capital of the state, which has remained under a loose RSF siege for much of the war. Humanitarian conditions in El Obeid have deteriorated due to restrictions on aid and commercial convoys.
The capture of Umm Ruwaba also could strengthen SAF’s position in South Kordofan, easing pressure on its forces in Abu Jubeiha and Kadugli, where RSF and SPLM-North sieges have cut off supply routes to the 10th and 14th infantry divisions. The 10th Infantry Division, which had been isolated in Abu Jubeiha, was able to reconnect from the south with the 18th Infantry Division after their forces linked up in Umm Ruwaba.
The operation, codenamed “Al Sayyad” (The Hunter), was led by Brigadier-General Hussein Joudat, who took command of the 16th Infantry Division in Nyala following the assassination of Maj. Gen. Yasser Fadlallah. Joudat was wounded in the Nyala battles and later evacuated to Wadi Saidna for medical treatment.
Fighting intensifies Bahri and Omdurman
In the capital region, SAF has made significant progress against the RSF, especially in Khartoum Bahri, where it captured the Shambat District and the northern entrance of the Mek Nimer Bridge, which faces the presidential palace across the Blue Nile.
After lifting the siege on the Signal Corps, in southern Bahri, and the army headquarters in northern Khartoum last week, SAF advanced west, securing neighborhoods along Al-Ingaz Street and both sides of Al Mauna Street.
RSF’s defenses in the residential Shambat District quickly collapsed as troops fled to avoid being encircled. The RSF is now mainly confined to Kafouri and the Industrial Area, as well as East Nile. SAF troops were geolocated throughout various areas of Shambat, proving the collapse of RSF control in this sector.
Meanwhile, in western Omdurman, SAF units based in Karari Locality launched fresh attacks on RSF positions in Ombada’s Blocks 26 and 27, as well as the village of Fatimab. The army also advanced into Blocks 15 and 21, sharing footage of civilians being evacuated as fighting spread to residential areas.
Despite months of SAF advances, the RSF retains control over large parts of Ombada (a western suburb of Omdurman), though its presence has been gradually reduced to western sectors, including the Libya Market area, which remains a key paramilitary stronghold.
Videos
In the video below, an SAF supporter or soldier is seen celebrating and filming in the streets of Um Ruwaba following the military's entry into the city.
In the video below, SAF soldiers are seen at a checkpoint or crossing towards South Kordofan State, located at 12°49'57.40"N, 31°12'56.16"E, south of Um Ruwaba.
In this RSF video, the Aatik (Old) Mosque in Kober, located at 15°37'38.00"N, 32°33'21.37"E, is visible. SAF control the Kober Prison while the RSF are based in the Kafouri residential blocks bordering Kober to the east.
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