The Sudanese Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have announced their complete control over the Jebel Aulia region, located south of Khartoum, following a week of intense fighting.
This significant development marks a pivotal moment in the ongoing conflict within the area, drawing attention to the escalating tensions in Sudan.
Recently surfaced video footage reveals RSF personnel moving freely inside the airbase and around the strategic reservoir.
Notably, a video featuring a tour by a prominent RSF field commander, known as “Osman Operations,” is said to be located within the Jebel Aulia military base.
Additional footage displays the RSF’s acquisition of substantial quantities of weapons and military vehicles, as well as the capture of several soldiers from the Sudanese army. The Sudanese army has not issued any statements regarding these developments to date.
In a strategic push, the RSF intensified their attacks on the army in Jebel Aulia over the last two days. Their primary objective is to seize control of the reservoir bridge, a crucial link between Omdurman and southern Khartoum.
This move is part of a broader strategy to establish a new supply line for their forces following the destruction of the Shambat bridge.
Violent clashes have been ongoing since November 12th between the Sudanese army and the RSF in areas adjacent to the reservoir, located in the southern part of Khartoum.
The RSF claims to have taken over the Al-Najoumi airbase and has circulated images of their soldiers within the base, although these claims were initially denied by the army.
The conflict in Khartoum initially erupted in April amidst growing tensions between the army and the RSF, particularly over the issue of merging their forces during the country’s transition towards democracy.
Since then, the RSF has managed to gain control over most parts of Khartoum and has been progressively expanding its influence southwards. Simultaneously, they have achieved considerable control over most of the Darfur region in Western Sudan. Analysts suggest that these victories have significantly bolstered the RSF’s efforts to consolidate their control across the nation.
The Jebel Aulia reservoir, established on the White Nile with a bridge built in 1937 about 44 kilometers south of Khartoum, has been a focal point in this conflict.
Originally under the technical and administrative supervision of the Egyptian government, the reservoir was later handed over to the Sudanese government for managing irrigation water and electricity generation.
The reservoir features a unique engineering aspect – a movable bridge that facilitates the passage of Nile ships. However, this bridge is considered the reservoir’s most vulnerable point, playing a critical role in regulating water discharge from the dam’s lake, particularly during the White Nile’s flood seasons.
As the situation in Jebel Aulia unfolds, the international community closely watches these developments, which could significantly impact Sudan’s political and social stability.
