The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) have announced significant advancements in their ongoing conflict against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). On Monday, the SAF reported progress on multiple fronts, highlighting strategic gains in Bahri city and North Kordofan State.
In Bahri, located north of Sudan’s capital Khartoum, SAF special forces successfully took control of the Kafouri area, the last stronghold of the RSF in the city. \"The SAF special forces at Al-Markhiat Military Base are advancing steadily in the Kafouri neighborhood after successful, intense operations, cleaning the area of the militia forces,\" the SAF stated on its Facebook page.
The capture of Kafouri represents a significant milestone in the army's military campaign across major cities including Khartoum, Omdurman, and Bahri. Previously, Kafouri served as a crucial base for the RSF, facilitating artillery attacks on SAF-held regions in Omdurman.
In another major development, the SAF announced the control of Al-Rahad city in North Kordofan State following fierce battles with RSF forces that lasted several days. \"The armed forces continue their victories, advancing along Al-Rahad axis in North Kordofan and decisively crushing the militia,\" the SAF added in another statement on Monday.
Al-Rahad is strategically important due to its location at the crossroads of major roads and its role as a vital station on Sudan's railway line, connecting the western regions to the eastern and central parts of the country. This acquisition follows the recent recapture of Um Ruwaba, North Kordofan’s second-largest city, on January 30.
Since January, the RSF has been retreating from several central Sudan regions, losing control of key territories in Gezira and Sinnar states. Additionally, the RSF has forfeited important areas in Khartoum, including the Khartoum Oil Refinery in the Al-Jaili area, north of Bahri.
The conflict between the SAF and RSF, which intensified in mid-April 2023, has resulted in over 29,680 fatalities, according to the latest estimates by international organizations.
