Battle for Jebel Aulia rages as fighting persists in Sudan capital

Fighting between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RF) continued for the third consecutive day in Jebel Aulia in southern Khartoum on Tuesday. The battles have caused many to flee their homes. Clashes were also reported in the capital’s sister city, Omdurman.

The Jebel Aulia Emergency Room in southern Khartoum reported at least seven fatalities during clashes between the SAF and the RSF on Monday.

In a statement released yesterday, the Emergency Room accused the RSF of forcefully entering homes, killing inhabitants, and shelling residential areas.

The RSF detained young men from the southern areas of Jebel Aulia, and “used them as human shields”, according to the statement, which highlighted the extreme difficulty in gathering information due to the complete disruption of communications.

In an update posted on Facebook yesterday, SAF spokesperson Brig Gen Nabil Abdallah stated that the army “successfully repelled an attack” launched by the RSF on Jebel Aulia, “resulting in heavy losses for the RSF in equipment and personnel”.

Accounts affiliated with the SAF on social media shared video clips from within El Nejoumi airbase in Jebel Aulia, claiming the army still has control of the base. The RSF previously released several clips alleging its control of the air defence base.

On Saturday, the RSF launched a major attack on Jebel Aulia, which guards a dam across the Nile. According to the Sudan War Monitor: “If the RSF capture the dam, which has a one-lane road across it, they will restore the link between their forces east and west of the Nile.”

Resident Mubarak Ibrahim told Radio Dabanga from Khartoum that there is a “mass displacement of people from Jebel Aulia to the Khartoum’s southern belt*”, with others relocating to White Nile state.

Ibrahim added that several shells fell in his neighbourhood near El Medina El Riyadiya (Sports City) on Tuesday, and that it was not yet possible to confirm the extent of the damage and losses.

Fighting in the capital

In Omdurman, twelve people were killed in El Sawrat on Sunday due to shelling, while two others were killed in El Fitihab when a shell hit their home on Monday evening. The Sheikh El Amin mosque in Wad El Banna was also hit by shells.

Violent confrontations unfolded since the early hours of yesterday morning between the SAF and the RSF in the vicinity of El Mohandesin Armoured Corps in Omdurman, accompanied by military aircraft flying over the area.

Battles resumed yesterday morning in the vicinity of the SAF General Command in Khartoum. The clashes involved heavy and medium artillery, with witnesses reporting thick columns of smoke.

In eastern and central Khartoum, witnesses reported army warplanes bombing several targets, while the RSF unleashed heavy ground anti-aircraft fire. On the other hand, SAF spokesperson announced the bombing of a boat carrying weapons and ammunition in the Nile on Monday.