Sudan army retakes village near Wad Madani, RSF counterattack repelled

September 20 (WAD MADANI) – The Sudanese army has recaptured a village near the strategic city of Wad Madani, a military source said on Thursday, as fighting between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) rages on in the country’s central region.

The army took control of Al-Shayqab, about 9 km (5.6 miles) north of the city of Arab and 12 km (7.5 miles) west of Wad Madani, the capital of Al Jazirah state.

The RSF, which seized Wad Madani in December and subsequently expanded its control across much of Al Jazirah state, launched a counterattack to retake Al-Shayqab but was repelled by the army, the source said. Both sides suffered casualties.

The military source also said the army’s Al-Manaqil axis was conducting independent operations towards Wad Madani to secure the area.

The army and allied Darfur rebel groups launched a three-pronged offensive to retake Wad Madani in April but the RSF captured the city of Sinjah and other areas in Sennar state in June and July.

The conflict in Sudan, which erupted in April between the army and the RSF, has resulted in widespread violence and displacement, particularly in the Darfur region and Al Jazirah state. Villages in Al Jazirah have been subjected to repeated attacks, resulting in hundreds of deaths and the displacement of many residents.