Shambat Bridge was destroyed, bringing a new advantage to Sudan’s army

Agencies – Sudan Events 

A massive explosion destroyed Shambat Bridge in Sudan’ capital at dawn today which links Omdurman with Khartoum North (Bahri).

اBoth parties confirmed the news in their own statements, each side blaming the other. Video from the scene provided visual confirmation.

.Shambat Bridge is the only bridge controlled by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) across the Nile, making it a crucial link to move men and materiel from Omdurman to Khartoum Bahri and Khartoum.

.Three other bridges across the White Nile are contested: Halfaya Bridge, Fatehab Bridge, and White Nile (Medical Corps) Bridge. The RSF controls the eastern bank of each of these bridges, while the SAF controls the western side. The RSF now will have greater difficulty moving reinforcements from one part of the capital region to another. However, they still control bridges across the Blue Nile, including Mek Nimr Bridge, Manshia Bridge, and Soba Bridge. They can therefore still move troops back and forth from Khartoum to East Nile and Khartoum Bahri.

Only Omdurman is now cut off from the RSF forces in the two other cities.

.In order to reinforce Omdurman from Khartoum, or vice versa, the RSF will now have to move troops by river. RSF patrol boats roam freely along the White Nile between Al-Lamab and Jebel Aulia. However, this route is slower and more dangerous than moving troops by road, due to the risk of air attacks..A particular logistical difficulty for the RSF could be supplying troops in Omdurman with fuel, which RSF has been taking from the Garri Refinery, located north of Bahri. Two fires erupted at the refinery this week, which the RSF blamed on air attacks..The destruction of the Shambat Bridge therefore represents a limited by still significant advantage for the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) over the RSF..For its part, SAF can still move men and materiel across the Nile in Shendi, 200 km north of Khartoum, or in Ad Douiem and Kosti, 200 km and 300 km to the south, respectively..The attack on Shambat Bridge could presage a major SAF offensive in either Omdurman or Bahri. In the days leading up to this attack, the army already had carried out fresh attacks in the Omdurman Industrial Area, Omdurman Popular Market, and surrounding neighbourhoods.