Jebel Adola in eastern Darfur: ‘Social media battles precede those on the ground’

The Darfur Joint Force, made up of rebel combatants, and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are both asserting control over the area of Jebel Adola in East Darfur. The Dabanga Verification Team found that footage claims by both parties are far from convincing. A military source commented that if ground battles for the strategically important area do start, they “will be decisive in imposing control over East and South Darfur”.

Over the past few days, both sides have been posting video clips on social media, showing their forces’ presence in the Jebel Adola area of ​​East Darfur.

The Joint Force, set up in 2022 to protect the people in Darfur and fighting alongside the Sudanese army since November last year, on Monday announced that its fighters seized control over the Jebel Adola area. This would pave the way for them to break through toward Ed Daein, the capital of East Darfur, occupied by the RSF on November 21.

In turn, the RSF posted a video clip of a number of its commanders in Jebel Adola, saying that they went to Jebel Adola and did not find any trace of the Joint Force.

The Dabanga Verification Team reviewed two of the videos. The first, posted by members of the Darfur Joint Force, is a clip of five minutes and 34 seconds, and shows a group of rebel combatants in an area, which it claims is Jebel Adola.

The verification team noted that the videographer took pains not to show the natural terrain, making it difficult to locate the force. None of the scenes filmed show any of the mountainous terrains, which are the main feature of Mount Adola. The team found that the rebel combatants, gathering at the northeastern edge of Jebel Adola, did not impose its control over the entire area.

The video posted by the RSF about their continued control of Mount Adola is much shorter, one minute and 20 seconds long, and displays three RSF commanders with a white four-wheel-drive vehicle behind them. As in the previous footage, the camera focuses on the men and refrains from showing the surroundings.

According to the Dabanga team, the filming took place in the southwestern area of Jebel Adola. The RSF forces had moved from Nyala, the capital of South Darfur, to the east.

Strategic location

Jebel Adola in East Darfur is difficult to cross because of its rugged nature. It consists of two parallel rock masses extending from north to south, with a low plain strip between them.

The area lies 143 kilometres southeast of the North Darfur capital El Fasher and 116 kilometres north of El Daein, not far from the road connecting the two cities. Nyala, the capital of South Darfur, is the nearest large city to Jebel Adola, about 115 km to the southeast.

Jebel Adola can be accessed from three places in North Darfur: Um Katkut or Um Sa’ouna in El Taweisha, and Wada’a in Kalimendo. It is considered an important area in the El Fasher-Nyala-El Daein triangle. It was used as a stronghold by the rebel movements during the Darfur war (2003-2018) and has been the scene of violent battles between them and the Sudanese army in July 2017.

Jebel Adola and surroundings are among the most fertile areas in the region. The major crop is peanuts, in addition to several other crops, including sorghum. The area is similarly attractive to herders due to its fertile pastures, which has repeatedly led to violent conflicts between them and farmers. Furthermore, the area is rich in gold (artisanal gold mining is widespread) and uranium.

Why now?

Radio Dabanga asked this question to a former SAF officer who requested anonymity. He linked the strategic importance of the area to three factors:

“Firstly, the rebel forces have good knowledge of the region and Jebel Adola could be a bridgehead to carry out military operations towards South and East Darfur if they succeed in lifting the RSF siege on El Fasher.

“Secondly, the army and the rebel movements are seeking by all means to ease the RSF attacks on El Fasher from the east and southeast. Therefore, the presence of SAF and rebel forces 130 kilometres southeast of El Fasher represents a pressure factor on the RSF.

“The third factor is that the RSF will not allow Nyala and Ed Daein to be threatened by the presence of hostile forces less than 100 kilometres from the borders of these cities, so it will not let the army and rebel forces to control the Jebel Adola area.”

The battle for Mount Adola so far seems to be fought mainly on social media sites, the source said. “The military battle on the ground has not yet begun, but if it takes place, it will a be pivotal and decisive in imposing control over East and South Darfur.”