Fighting in Sudan’s capital has sharply escalated, particularly in Khartoum Bahri, where the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) launched a significant assault on Monday against a besieged Sudanese army (SAF) stronghold in the northeastern suburbs.
This area, referred to as the Kadroo Enclave, has seen intense clashes as both sides struggle for control.
The RSF’s attack, which aimed to break the SAF’s hold on this strategic pocket, has resulted in heavy casualties. Among those reported dead is Major General Khala Issa al-Daif, a senior RSF commander.
The RSF is said to have inflicted considerable losses on the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), but General Burhan’s army asserts that it has successfully repelled the assault.
Combat videos from the scene, analyzed and geolocated by independent observers, show that fighting occurred on multiple fronts around the Kadroo Enclave.
The SAF reportedly lost some ground in the western part of the enclave, particularly near the Kadroo slaughterhouses, a key military strongpoint.
Military sources indicate that the RSF’s attack also came from the north, near the Jaili Refinery, and from the east, originating in East Nile Locality.
The battle, which lasted for several hours, was an aggressive attempt by the RSF to seize the Hattab Camp, a critical position on the eastern side of the Kadroo Enclave.
The Kadroo Enclave, a 30-40 square kilometer area in northern Bahri, includes several neighborhoods, farmlands, and key military installations such as the Kadroo Camp (also known as the Weapons Corps), the Kadroo slaughterhouses, and Hattab Camp.
The RSF controls the rest of Khartoum Bahri, with the exception of a small area near the Kober Bridge.
The ongoing conflict in this region is likely to exacerbate the humanitarian crisis, as intensified fighting may force thousands of civilians to flee, adding to the already overwhelming displacement crisis in Sudan.
According to the International Organization for Migration, Monday’s clashes displaced dozens of families from the Dardoog and Hattab areas.
Militarily, the RSF’s focus on Hattab Camp could be part of a larger strategy to consolidate its control over Bahri.
Capturing the camp would not only tighten the RSF’s grip on the region but also neutralize a key SAF stronghold, potentially setting the stage for further RSF offensives in the capital.
As the situation unfolds, it remains unclear whether this latest surge in violence marks the beginning of a major RSF operation or is just another chapter in the ongoing conflict that has ravaged Sudan’s capital region for nearly 18 months.
SAF airstrikes in Darfur and Wad Madani
The SAF has continued its indiscriminate bombing campaign in Darfur, including recent strikes on Zalingei and Melit.
In Zalingei, an airstrike on Khamsa Dagaig Camp killed five people, including a newborn, while 11 people were killed in Melit following airstrikes on civilian neighborhoods and RSF positions.
The Air Force also targeted Wad Madani, hitting a market controlled by the RSF, resulting in civilian casualties.
The ongoing airstrikes have drawn widespread condemnation, with calls for those responsible for war crimes to be brought to justice. The humanitarian toll continues to mount as the conflict rages on across multiple fronts in Sudan.
