Sudan capital clashes ‘most violent in a while’, SAF bombards Dibebad

Fierce fighting continued between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the three cities of Khartoum state yesterday. On Monday, SAF warplanes attacked RSF positions in Dibebad, South Kordofan. In Delling, 56 kilometres south of Dibebad, fears of an new RSF attack on the town are mounting.

Omdurman’s Banat neighbourhood witnessed violent clashes yesterday, in an attempt by the SAF to break an RSF siege on the El Mohandesin Corps. The two sides exchanged heavy fire throughout Monday and Tuesday.

Army attacks on RSF sites in greater Khartoum intensified again this weekend. On Monday evening, the independent platform Sudan War Updates reported on X (formerly Twitter) that SAF-RSF clashes near Omdurman Market and El Hilal Stadium were “the most violent of their kind in a while”.

SAF supporters posted videos on social media showing a SAF advance on El Arbaeen Street and the vicinity of El Morada Market in Omdurman.

The central Omdurman industrial zone saw heavy artillery shelling by the RSF, which also targeted SAF bases in El Sawrat and Karari in northern Omdurman.

Sudanese journalist Kamal Shref analysed the situation on the ground in a post on X yesterday evening, saying: “Military developments in Omdurman benefit the SAF on various axes, as they made progress from Karari towards the center of Omdurman and El Mohandesin Corps”.

Meanwhile, confrontations also renewed yesterday between the two parties in the vicinity of the SAF General Command in central Khartoum, and the Signal Corps in Khartoum North, as clouds of smoke were visible in the areas throughout the afternoon. Military aircraft reportedly launched separate raids on RSF bases in Kafouri in Khartoum North and in on southern Khartoum areas.

Sudan War Monitor reported that fighting in El Kadaro in Khartoum North left multiple fighters dead on Monday, and echoed reports that “fighting has intensified in central Omdurman”.

South Kordofan

On Monday, SAF warplanes attacked Dibebad, in northern South Kordofan.

According to a military spokesperson, the airstrikes targeted the RSF base in Dibebad, “used by the group to launch operations to the north (towards El Obeid) and to the south (towards Delling)”.

The spokesperson said that “the Sudanese air force targeted an RSF convoy en route to Delling”, without providing details about casualties.

Listeners in Delling, South Kordofan, told Radio Dabanga yesterday that residents are “living in a state of panic” due to fears of a renewed potential attack by the RSF.

Radio Dabanga reported yesterday that Delling was witnessing a cautious calm, following an RSF attack on the town on Saturday, which was repelled by fighters of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North led by Abdelaziz El Hilu (SPLM-N El Hilu). 

Regarding reports suggesting that the SAF withdrew from Delling and handed control to SPLM-N EL Hilu, locals said that both forces were present “and coexisting without hostilities” in the town. They however denied reports indicating that El Hilu’s forces had entirely taken control of Delling.

Delling hosts thousands of people who fled an RSF attack on Habila town nearly two weeks ago, and scores more from El Tukma village.

A resident in Delling reported a disruption in the communications network and a five-day power outage in Delling locality, with scarce water availability.