The Battle of Babanuosa… The Militia Breaks Its Own Truce, and the Army Responds Decisively

Sudan Events – Agencies

On Monday, the city of Babanuosa came under a large-scale, multi-front attack launched by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), backed by foreign mercenaries from neighboring countries and equipped with modern Emirati weapons.

As happened earlier in El Fasher, the militia—using foreign experts—completely cut off communications in the city, creating fertile ground for spreading rumors about the city’s fall and the capture of the 22nd Infantry Division headquarters.

Late Monday night, field sources in El Obeid reported that Babanuosa had gone entirely offline and that any circulating reports were mere rumors. The militia resorted to releasing videos filmed at the start of the attack, presenting them as evidence of the city’s fall.

On Tuesday morning, the Sudanese Armed Forces issued a statement through their spokesperson confirming that the 22nd Infantry Division had thwarted a major assault on Babanuosa. The statement said the city had come under a renewed attack that was repelled “with strength and decisiveness.”

According to Sudanese Echoes, observers say that the attack—occurring just two days after a truce announced by the militia leader—has clearly exposed the RSF and stripped away the last veneer Abu Dhabi attempted to use to cover its mercenary support. They note that the truce was, from the outset, a ploy aimed at portraying the UAE as concerned about peace and humanitarian conditions.

The army spokesperson added that the attack laid bare the falsehood behind the ceasefire claims promoted by the militia, stating:
“Despite the unilateral ceasefire announced by the leader of the Dagalo militia, the group has continued to target Babanuosa daily with artillery and strategic drones.”
The statement continued:
“The so-called truce declared by the rebel leader Hemetti is nothing more than a political and media maneuver designed to conceal their field movements and the steady flow of Emirati support fueling the war and killing Sudanese civilians.”

The army reaffirmed its commitment to international humanitarian law, civilian protection, and facilitating humanitarian work, stressing that it would not allow the humanitarian situation to be exploited as cover for military maneuvers that worsen the crisis, and that it would continue fulfilling its duty to protect the state and its citizens responsibly and effectively.

Experts argue that Babanuosa represented a real test of the alleged truce—one in which the militia failed, putting its political ally, the “Sumud Alliance,” in an awkward position as it searches for new justifications to call for another ceasefire.

Dr. Al-Fadil Mohamed Mahjoub, a Sudanese political science professor, said that Hemetti has no real authority over his forces, describing him as merely a “voice note” to them, and asserting that the militia follows the command of Abdel Rahim Dagalo. He added that the militia’s supposed commitment to the truce was nothing but political theater promoted by its political wing, even as its forces were preparing to attack Babanuosa. He argued that the latest assault effectively issued a “death certificate” for the truce narrative.

On the ground, Babanuosa witnessed a decisive confrontation with the militia. Field sources in El Obeid—with limited communication access to the 22nd Infantry Division—reported that the militia suffered around 800 fatalities during Monday’s battle.

The sources noted that communications remain cut for a second day, but Sudanese Echoes obtained numerous photos and videos mourning RSF fighters killed in the battle, underscoring the scale of the losses suffered outside the city.

According to field sources in El Obeid, the militia briefly reached the 22nd Infantry Division headquarters on Monday evening after a tactical withdrawal by the army. They managed to film videos inside before the army—backed by air support and six drones—launched a counterattack, destroying combat vehicles and tanks. The sources confirmed that the army retook the headquarters, though the militia remains inside parts of Babanuosa, holding several peripheral neighborhoods for nearly two weeks.

The sources added that obtaining updated and precise information about the situation remains difficult, as fighting continues across multiple fronts and clear answers about what is happening inside Babanuosa remain elusive.