El Faw standoff: Sudan army deploys reinforcements as RSF regroup

The Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) has reportedly reinforced the area of El Faw in western El Gedaref, as Rapid Support Forces (RSF) formations reposition themselves, following ‘limited clashes’ on the outskirts of the town of El Faw in western El Gedaref yesterday.

A source from El Faw told Radio Dabanga that the SAF attacked the area of El Buweida in eastern El Gezira yesterday, where RSF troops were gathering, not far from the border with El Faw locality. The attack resulted in a number of deaths and injuries in the ranks of the RSF, they report.

The attack prompted the RSF to reposition themselves. The SAF then, with support from troops in Um El Gura, north of El Buweida, attacked El Faw from the north by land and air.

He explained that the battle resulted in a number of deaths and injuries on both sides and said that the situation returned to calm and stability, in the area of El Faw, pointing out that the SAF carried out reinforcements after the arrival of substantial forces and the closure of all access routes.

Another source from El Gedaref told Radio Dabanga that the clashes were limited; an SAF force confronted the RSF on the outskirts of the town of El Faw, and pursued them until the force returned to El Gezira, pointing out that El Gedaref has been in a state of intensive security readiness since the RSF took control of El Gezira on December 18. “The residents of El Gedaref live in a state of anxiety and fear of a repeat of the tragedies of El Gezira.”

The security authorities in El Gedaref reportedly detained a large group of men, allegedly affiliated with the RSF who had infiltrated the state, who were in possession of large sums of money. “It is not known whether they were leaving for the border to invest their money or were coming to collect information,” the source said.

“They also detained dozens of activists on charges of cooperating with the RSF,” he added. “These people are well-known in El Gedaref and have nothing to do with the RSF. It seems that the authorities, of whom many are affiliated with the former [Al Bashir] regime, are using the pretext of ‘sleeper cells’ to settle scores with activists and other opponents.”

The activists were later released without any charges brought against them.