Sudanese army takes control of area near Al-Jazeera State capital

Al Jazeera quoted sources close to the Sudanese army today, Friday, as saying that the army's vanguard entered the Wad al-Ubayd area east of Wad Madani, the capital of Al-Jazeera State in central Sudan.

A military source had previously told Al Jazeera that the army had retaken Umm Al-Qura locality in the east of the state at dawn today after battles with the Rapid Support Forces, and that it was advancing towards the city of Wad Madani from several axes.

In the past few days, the Sudanese army has retaken the cities of Shabarga and Haj Abdullah, and on some fronts its forces are now only 20 kilometers away from Wad Madani.

Armed forces heroes from inside Wad Al-Abyad village in Al-Jazeera State, on their way to Wad Madani, the state capital #Sudan pic.twitter.com/DUXGkvZrsM

- Sudan News (@Sudan_tweet) January 10, 2025

Al-Shabarqa is about 30 kilometers east of the center of Al-Jazeera State, while the city of Haj Abdullah is about 60 kilometers south of it.

Yesterday, Thursday, the Sudanese army announced via its official page on the "X" platform that its forces had taken control of new areas in Al-Jazeera, killed dozens of Rapid Support Forces personnel, and seized combat equipment and vehicles.

It is noteworthy that in December 2023, the Rapid Support Forces took control of large parts of the state, including the city of Wad Madani, which led to the displacement of tens of thousands towards Gedaref.

In other field developments, clashes continued today, Friday, between the army and the Rapid Support Forces in the Bahri area, north of Khartoum.

Anadolu Agency said that clashes took place on several fronts in the city of Bahri, especially with the army's advance in the area.

During the past few days, the Sudanese army has regained most of the neighborhoods of the Bahri area after regaining parts of the city of Omdurman a few weeks ago.

In western Sudan, the Sudanese army's 6th Infantry Division in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur State, said that the armed forces and joint forces repelled an attack by the Rapid Support Forces yesterday from the southeastern axis of the city, inflicting heavy losses in lives and equipment.

For months, the Rapid Support Forces have been trying to storm El Fasher, where army forces are entrenched, but all their attempts have failed.

In another development, local sources told Al Jazeera that the Rapid Support Forces targeted sites around the airport of Atbara, the largest city in the River Nile State in northern Sudan, with a drone.

The sounds of Sudanese army anti-aircraft fire were heard simultaneously with the attack.

Since mid-April 2023, the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces have been engaged in a conflict that has left 20,000 dead and 14 million displaced and refugees, and some estimates indicate that the real death toll may reach 130,000.

Source: Al Jazeera + Agencies