“RSF” Announce a New Phase in the War, and Burhan Vows to Crush It

Sudan Events – Agencies

On Saturday, Sudanese Army Commander Abdel Fattah al-Burhan pledged to uproot the militias and liberate every inch of the land, while the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) declared that the war had entered a new phase, vowing to deal painful blows to the army.

Al-Burhan stated that the army had shifted from defense to offense and would not rest until it uprooted what he called the militias and their supporters.

During the launch of an initiative to support “the families of martyrs, displaced persons, refugees, and those affected by the war,” Al-Burhan confirmed that “things are going as planned, and every inch of the country will be liberated.”

He added that he was confident of victory and that the people would soon not hear about drones bombing civilian service facilities.

On the other hand, Bashir Tapeg, an advisor to the RSF commander, stated that the targeting of Wadi Sidna Airbase and the destruction of several warplanes, drones, and weapon stores was a message that the war had entered a new phase.

Tapeg emphasized that in the coming days, there would be painful strikes against strategic sites belonging to what he called Al-Burhan’s militias and terrorist brigades, and that Port Sudan was the next target.

Shelling in Al-Fasher

Earlier, the Sudanese army announced the killing of four civilians and the injury of 12 others as a result of artillery shelling by the RSF on the city of Al-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state in western Sudan.

For several days, the RSF has continued its artillery bombardment of Al-Fasher, resulting in dozens of deaths and injuries, according to Sudanese authorities.

Since May 10, 2024, Al-Fasher has witnessed clashes between the army and RSF forces, despite international warnings regarding the fighting in the city, which is a hub for humanitarian operations in the five Darfur states.

RSF’s Attack on Displaced Persons’ Shelter

In the same context, the Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the killing of 11 civilians due to an RSF attack on a displaced persons’ shelter in the city of Atbara, located in the northern part of the country, describing the incident as a terrorist crime.

The Ministry said in a statement, “We condemn the heinous terrorist crime committed by the RSF militia, which targeted a displaced persons’ shelter in Atbara, killing 11 displaced persons, and also bombed the Atbara power station.”

Recently, there has been a recurring use of drones to attack electricity stations in northern Sudanese cities, including Merowe, Dongola, Al-Dabba, and Atbara.

Sudanese authorities accuse the RSF of carrying out drone attacks on power stations and infrastructure, but there has been no comment from the RSF on these accusations.

Changing Battlefield Dynamics

Since mid-April 2023, the Sudanese army and the RSF have been engaged in a war that has resulted in more than 20,000 deaths and approximately 15 million displaced persons and refugees, according to the United Nations and local authorities.

For several weeks, the RSF’s control has been shrinking rapidly in Sudanese states, with the army gaining victories, including control over the presidential palace, ministries near it, the airport, and several security and military sites.

In the other 17 states, the RSF now only controls parts of North and West Kordofan states, as well as pockets in South Kordofan and Blue Nile states, in addition to four states in the Darfur region (west).