SAF has made progress in Omdurman, marking their first advancement since the conflict with RSF began in April of last year.
According to reports, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) in the Karari military region, located north of Omdurman, have united with their counterparts in the engineering corps in the southern part of the city. They have been under siege by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since April.
The SAF announced their entry into Souq Omdurman, a historic market in Omdurman, last week. Omdurman is known as the twin city to Khartoum, the capital of Sudan, which is situated on the other side of the Nile River.
After the leader of the army, Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, visited Tehran, there were reports of Iran providing assistance to the SAF with new Mohajer 6 drones.
One week prior to the army’s progress in Omdurman, residents of Ombada, located in the northwest of the city, were instructed to vacate their homes within 72 hours. It is reported that approximately 100 men were detained by the SAF and subjected to being stripped, blindfolded, and whipped before being released.
An individual named Awad Hakeem, who used to work as a car mechanic in Ombada, passed away two nights ago following a traumatic experience. Hakeem had been detained by the army on two occasions before and was reportedly subjected to torture before being released.
One man who was arrested by the army reported feeling humiliated and was told he lacked patriotism while being physically beaten. He also mentioned that some of his fellow detainees were in tears.
The majority of individuals who were taken into custody are members of the Gouran ethnic group, a minority in Sudan. They were involved in the buying and selling of clothing in local markets. Khartoum, like many other cities in Sudan, is divided by ethnicity and race.
According to reports, members of the SAF, particularly new soldiers, have been accused of stealing from the homes of the Gouran community in the northern and western areas of Omdurman. A resident stated, “They forcibly evicted us in order to rob our homes. I have lost everything… they even took my furniture.”
In the beginning of August, the military instructed members of a specific ethnic group residing along the Nile in eastern Omdurman to vacate their residences. Upon attempting to reclaim their possessions, some discovered that their houses were now occupied by soldiers and their belongings had been taken.
A majority of the population in Khartoum, totaling 11 million, have escaped the city. However, there are still millions of residents remaining, particularly those from impoverished backgrounds and faraway regions like Darfur and Kordofan, which are currently facing intense conflict.
The SAF has faced allegations of specifically targeting non-Arab individuals from Darfur who previously resided in Wad Madani city, located south of Khartoum before being taken over by the RSF in December. Additionally, there have been claims of numerous deaths and hundreds of arrests by the SAF.
The governor of the state, Mohamed el-Badawi, has urged the intelligence services to detain all individuals working as vendors and beggars in markets, alleging that they are acting as spies for the RSF. The majority of market traders in Sudan originate from Darfur and Kordofan, regions known for ongoing civil unrest and conflict.
Since gaining independence in 1956, Sudan has been governed by a small group of Arab and Nubian leaders who are from tribes residing along the Nile River in the northern region of Sudan.
The Sudanese military formed the RSF to fight in Darfur, but they have been accused of carrying out a genocide against non-Arab groups. The conflict has resulted in the deaths of over 1 million people and the displacement of millions from their homes. As a result, former Sudanese president and army general Omar al-Bashir became the first sitting president to be indicted by the International Criminal Court in The Hague.
The RSF has been accused of committing ethnic cleansing against the Masalit people in West Darfur, leading to the displacement of hundreds of thousands and the death of thousands during the recent violence in the region.
Over 10,000 individuals have lost their lives in Sudan due to a conflict between two military leaders vying for control.
Source: theguardian.com
