Sudanese Armed Forces ‘take eastern bank of El Manshiya Bridge’ – what next?

The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) claim to have occupied the eastern side of the strategic El Manshiya Bridge, which spans the Blue Nile east of the Sudan capital Khartoum this morning. In an official video communiqué on Tuesday, the SAF command says that they have established a position on the eastern bank of the bridge that connects the East Nile and Khartoum, and importantly, Khartoum airport.

The SAF assert that this development has cut off supply lines and communication between the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Bahri and East Nile with Khartoum.

The announcement follows one last week, in which the SAF claimed to have established a bridgehead on the east bank of the Nile at the strategic Soba Bridge.

On Sunday, the intelligence service released videos showing soldiers of the RSF were targeted by artillery shelling in the body of the Kubra. The SAF have reportedly taken control of Station 13 and parts of the El Nasr and El Huda neighbourhoods.

The SAF announced on their official page yesterday that they, together with the Sudan Shield Force and the elite force of the intelligence service are advancing in the East Nile axis.

Military expert and professor of strategic studies, Maj Gen Muhammad Khalil El Saem, says that controlling the eastern entrance to El Manshiya Bridge means tightening control over the entire east of the Nile and controlling all bridges in the state, even the Jabal Awliya Bridge is controlled. He expects the battle of Khartoum state to be resolved in favor of the army during the coming period, pointing to information about the army’s progress in central Khartoum.

Reasons for the decline

Gen El Saem attributes the military retreat of the RSF to forces being thinly spread over a large area, with no military plan, which led to the lengthening of supply lines. He referred to the RSF troops robbing civilians. He noted the lack of command and control of the RSF, which led to widespread looting, rape, and targeting of infrastructure.

Expected scenarios

Regarding the expected battles in Kordofan and Darfur, Gen El Saem ruled out the ability of the RSF to resist army attacks in Kordofan and Darfur, noting that RSF has lost most of the field commanders and lost their solid strength during the ongoing battles.

He said that the armed forces aim through military operations in Wabara and the rest of the cities of Kordofan to retake all areas controlled by the RSF, control roads and supply lines and secure the back of the armed forces. The army’s control of large parts of central Sudan led to the disconnection of a group of RSF in southern Blue Nile, leading to its alliance with the SPLM-N led by El Hilu, he said.

The RSF has been approached for comment on the SAF and Gen El Saem’s comments and remarks.