Other MoA event in Sudan on Wed 8th May 2024

Heavy fighting erupted yesterday between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces on both ends of the road connecting the North Kordofan capital El Obeid with the army-controlled state of White Nile. The battles began after the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) launched simultaneous operations east from El Obeid toward Mount Kordofan—an RSF stronghold—and west from Tendelti toward Umm Ruwaba, a two-pronged assault apparently intending to open the key Kordofan road, or at least to make progress toward that goal. A distance of about 200 km separates the 5th Infantry Division in El Obeid (referred to as the “Camel Army,” after its Anglo-Egyptian predecessor, the Camel Corps) from the nearest SAF-controlled city in White Nile, Tendelti. In between lie several cities dominated by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), including Umm Ruwaba and Rahad. Videos filmed by combatants yesterday indicate that the advancing Sudanese army troops were routed in at least two locations, including at a military camp near Mount Kordofan, which is a distance of about 15 km from the El Obeid city center, and along the road somewhere between Tendelti and Um Ruwaba. Altogether at least 200 SAF soldiers died in the fighting yesterday, judging by videos of the SAF war dead filmed by RSF combatants. Since not all the war dead were filmed, and the RSF lost men too, the full death toll is likely closer to 500-1000. RSF sources acknowledged losses on their side, including an officer with the rank of lieutenant colonel, Abdel Moneim Tutu, known as “Sheria,” as well as two captains and two lieutenants. In a statement after yesterday’s fighting, RSF claimed “a great victory in separate battles on two axes in the state of North Kordofan, through which the regime forces sought to open the national road, Kosti to El Obeid, but the heroes of our forces were waiting for them, and they inflicted heavy losses in lives and equipment on them.” RSF claimed to have killed 400 men in the fighting on the Mount Kordofan axis, and 500 men along the Tendelti-Um Ruwaba road. For its part, SAF published statements and videos on its social media pages boasting that they had captured Mount Kordofan, after inflicting losses on the RSF, but these media statements apparently preceded the RSF counter-attack. Separately, there were conflicting claims on social media over whether the RSF had taken control of a Central Reserve Police camp on the southern outskirts of El Obeid. A local source in El Obeid told Sudan War Monitor that the camp remained under army control, though passing RSF soldiers had taken some videos in the area.