Sudan’s army retakes Wad Medani, police deployed “soon”
12 January 2025
The Sudanese army and joint forces have entered Wad Madani, the capital of Al-Jazeera State, without resistance from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which withdrew to Al-Hasahisa, 50 kilometres north of the city, on Saturday.
Forces from the Sudan Shield militia, led by Abu Aqila Kaikal, a defected RSF commander, took over the city with little opposition. These forces bypassed initial RSF defences in Wad Al-Mahidi village and spearheaded the army’s advance into Wad Madani. Paratroopers were seen landing near the city’s First Infantry Division. The city, which had been deserted for nearly a year—with closed markets, inactive hospitals, and empty streets—has become a ghost town.
A Sudanese army source told Ayin that the entry of the armed forces and allied groups into Wad Madani marks the collapse of the RSF presence in Al-Jazeera State. It also signifies the potential return of life for millions of citizens who can resume their daily activities, the source said.
The military source added that police forces would be deployed in Wad Madani in the coming hours. These forces have already mobilised from Port Sudan, the interim capital of General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan’s government in eastern Sudan. Additionally, the army intends to facilitate access for electricity and telecommunications repair teams to the city, which currently houses around half a million residents.
RSF response
In a voice recording, RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti) vowed not to surrender despite the loss of Wad Medani—Sudan’s second-largest city in terms of economic activity and population after Khartoum. Hemedti described the conflict as one of “retreat and advance,” accusing the Sudanese army of acquiring advanced Iranian drones that tipped the battlefield in its favour.
Hemedti claimed his forces have endured 21 months of conflict and could fight for 21 years if needed. He asserted that no other forces in the world could withstand airstrikes and chemical barrel bombs in open terrain like the Rapid Support Forces.
Furthermore, Hemedti accused the Sudanese army of collaborating with armed Tigray factions opposed to Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and with Eritrean Islamist groups in their campaign across Al-Jazeera and Sennar states.
Anticipated return of civilians
Musab Al-Hadi Mohammed, a member of the humanitarian emergency rooms in eastern Al-Jazeera State, described the army’s entry into Wad Madani as a fatal blow to the Rapid Support Forces and will lead to the return of thousands of civilians. This will be delayed, however, until RSF-planted landmines and unexploded ordinances are removed from the city, he added. Many houses, used by the RSF as weapon depots, remain unsafe.
Al-Hadi believes that residents can rebuild their lives in Wad Madani once the army allows their return. Reviving agricultural activity, especially in the southern and western parts of the state, will be critical. He added that the RSF’s defeat in Wad Madani traces back to their earlier loss of Jebel Moya in western Sennar. That area, lying at the crossroads of three states, was a key supply line for the RSF until October 2024.