Sudan army seizes Khartoum bridgehead in surprise attack
The Sudanese army launched a surprise attack from Omdurman into Khartoum before dawn today, securing a foothold in the Mogran district in the northwest part of the city, from which they aim to link up with trapped forces in central and southern Khartoum.
Wearing green “martyr” headbands, reflecting the high-risk nature of the operation, Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) troops attacked across two bridges, the White Nile (Medical Corps) Bridge and the Ingaz (Salvation) Bridge, also called Fatehab Bridge.
Simultaneously, army troops in Khartoum Bahri and other parts of Khartoum launched diversionary attacks, while the Air Force bombed Mogran and other neighborhoods.
Heavy fighting ensued as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) tried to contain the army advance and drive the attackers back to the Nile. By afternoon, the Petrodar Tower and Khartoum Hilton were on fire and gunfights were still raging in one of the oldest and most scenic parts of the capital as the RSF rushed reinforcements to the area.
The attack took place in roughly the same place as the Madhist attack against Charles Gordon’s troops in Khartoum in 1885, which ended a 10-month siege.
Prior to today’s attack, the two Omdurman-Khartoum bridges at Mogran were closed and contested. The Sudan Armed Forces had controlled the west bank of the bridges while the Rapid Support Forces had controlled the east bank. This status quo had prevailed for more than a year, with neither side wanting to risk an attack in full view of defending forces. This morning, however, RSF troops tasked to guard the bridges were either caught by surprise or were overwhelmed by the SAF attack.
SAF military sources, speaking with Al Jazeera, claimed control of the eastern side of the bridges for the first time, but otherwise the military was mostly tight-lipped about the operation so far.
Presently, the full extent of the SAF advance is unclear, with some pro-SAF social media accounts claiming they reached all the way to the Arab Market, which would put them within 2-3 km of the besieged SAF troops near the Armed Forces headquarters and University of Khartoum. However, videos shared by RSF combatants suggest that the army’s advance does not exceed 1-2 km, with RSF troops still present near the Central Bank, Zain Tower, and the Sahel and Sahara Bank.
Fighting presently may be ongoing west of the Botanical Garden, near the Central Bank, along Nile Street approximately between the Sudan National Museum and the Khartoum Hilton, and in the Sunut Forest, south of Army Road.
The Mogran district, located where the Blue Nile and White Nile Rivers meet, contains a number of public parks and gardens, as well as important landmarks, including Friendship Hall, Al-Shahid Mosque, the National Museum, and a number of corporate headquarters. The iconic GNPOC Tower located in this area already suffered a severe fire last year, possibly due to shelling or an electrical accident.
Almigdad Hassan, a correspondent for Al Arabiya channel who is based in eastern Khartoum, said that he heard “intense and simultaneous battles” since 2:00 am, coming from several fronts, including Al-Mogran, the army's general headquarters, the Signal Corps area (Kober) and Armored Corps. “The sound of explosions and heavy weaponry is coming from all these fronts, with extreme intensity. This military escalation is considered unprecedented in Khartoum over the past months.”
He said he witnessed airstrikes in the neighborhoods of Mogran, Arkawit, Al-Sahafa, Jabra, and Al-Azhari in southern Khartoum. He shared several videos of these:
According to Hiba Morgan, a reporter for Al Jazeera, RSF troops were seen moving from Omdurman to reinforce Khartoum via the Jebel Aulia Dam Bridge. “Dozens of cars seen moving across the bridge following army offensive against the RSF in Khartoum.” RSF reinforcement likely also are arriving from elsewhere too, such as Bahri, Jebel Aulia, and Jazira State.
In the northern area of Khartoum Bahri, the Sudanese army launched attacks west from the Kadroo Enclave toward Halfaya. They have raided this area previously and this fighting is not necessarily strategically significant. It may be intended to draw away RSF troops to divert them from the main fighting near the Khartoum Bridges.
For now, the SAF bridgehead in the Mogran District is limited to about 1-2 km and is vulnerable to counter-attacks. Nevertheless, the capture of the bridges is a significant military development, which marks the start of a new phase of the battle for Khartoum.
Videos
1 - SAF soldier crossing Medical Corps Bridge from Omdurman into Khartoum.
2 - RSF troops in Mogran near the Al-Shahid Mosque, Army Road overpass, and other landmarks, on the afternoon after the attack.
4 - Airstrike near Signal Corps (Khartoum Bahri)
5 - RSF troops near the Corinthia Tower (15.603194, 32.513639)
6 - RSF troops looking west toward Central Bank Building from Jamhuria Avenue in the residential area near the Botanical Garden (15.603361, 32.507694)
