Sudanese army and RSF clash over key Sennar locations

June 24, 2024 (SENNAR) – The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are locked in a fierce battle for control of the Sennar Sugar Factory, surrounding villages, and the strategic Jabal Moya area.

Local television in Sennar state reported that the SAF had successfully recaptured the sugar factory and nearby villages, but the RSF denied this claim and asserted their continued control over Jabal Moya.

This escalation comes amidst the RSF’s southward expansion from Al Jazirah State into Sennar State since December, a campaign marred by accusations of civilian rights violations.

The General Authority for Radio and Television in Sennar broadcasted a statement on Facebook, accompanied by footage of Jabal Moya and the sugar factory, declaring the SAF’s successful repulsion of the RSF and the liberation of the factory and surrounding areas.

However, the RSF contradicted this statement, maintaining their hold on the mountainous Jabal Moya region, a strategic location linking Sennar, Al Jazirah, and the White Nile states.

Eyewitnesses reported intense fighting in the Jabal Moya area, with the RSF allegedly launching an early morning attack on SAF defensive positions using heavy weaponry. The clashes resulted in civilian casualties.

The RSF also reportedly shelled the city of Sennar with heavy artillery, but no casualties were reported.

Media platforms aligned with the RSF claimed their forces seized control of Jabal Moya and shared videos of soldiers capturing SAF military equipment. Conversely, SAF-affiliated platforms denied these claims, asserting that they had “crushed” the RSF attack and inflicted significant losses.

Ammar Hassan Ammar, a spokesman for the Popular Resistance, a volunteer group fighting alongside the army, accused the RSF of mobilizing forces to attack Sennar and sever vital supply routes.

Ammar detailed the RSF’s early morning assault on Jabal Moya, utilizing drones and heavy artillery, followed by a ground offensive. He maintained that the SAF, alongside intelligence agents, and Local Resistance forces, successfully repelled the RSF and retained control of Jabal Moya.