Sudan’s military and its allies have taken back a strategic city from the rebel Rapid Support Forces, officials said.
The recapture of Wad Madani, the capital of Gezira province, took place more than a year after it fell to the RSF. Wad Madani had previously been a haven for displaced families in the early months of the war.
The conflict in Sudan started in April 2023 when simmering tensions between the leaders of the military and the RSF exploded into open fighting in the capital, Khartoum, and other cities across the large north-eastern African country.
The conflict has killed more than 28,000 people, forced millions to flee their homes and left some families eating grass in a desperate attempt to survive as famine hit parts of the country.
Atrocities, including ethnically motivated killing and rape, have been committed throughout the war, according the United Nations and rights groups. The international criminal court said it was investigating alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Earlier this month, the Biden administration said the RSF and its proxies were committing genocide, and put sanctions on the RSF leader, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, as well as seven RSF-owned companies in the United Arab Emirates, including one handling gold probably smuggled out of Sudan.
The military said in a statement that its forces had entered Wad Madani early on Saturday and that they were working to “clear the rebels’ remnants inside the city”.
“Congratulations to the Armed Forces, their supporting forces everywhere and to our people as they reclaim their dignity, security and stability,” it said.
There was no immediate comment from the RSF.
The culture and information minister, Khalid Aleiser, the spokesperson for the government, said the military and its allies had “liberated” Wad Madani, which is about 100km (60 miles) south-east of Khartoum, Sudan’s capital.
Soldiers posted videos on social media purportedly showing forces celebrating with residents in the city centre. One video showed people taking to the streets to celebrate the “liberation” of the city, and shouting, “Allah is Great.”
Since the RSF captured Wad Medani in December 2023, tens of thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes in and around the city.
In recent months the RSF has suffered multiple battlefield blows, giving the military the upper hand in the war. It has lost control of many areas in Khartoum, the capital’s sister city of Omdurman, and the eastern and central provinces.
The war has created the world’s largest displacement crisis, driving more than 14 million people – about 30% of the population – from their homes, according to the UN. An estimated 3.2 million people have crossed into neighbouring countries including Chad, Egypt and South Sudan.
Famine has been detected in at least five areas, including three camps for displaced people in the western Sudanese region of Darfur, according to an international monitoring project, the Integrated Food Security Classification, or IPC. The IPC said five other areas were projected to experience famine in the next six months. More areas are also at risk of famine, it said.
