Sudan’s RSF clashes with army near Wad Madani, pushing thousands to flee
Date
12/17/2023 7:04:12 AM
(MENAFN) On Saturday, Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces clashed with the army outside the central city of Wad Madani, intensifying an assault that has created a new front in the eight-month-long conflict and compelled thousands to evacuate, as reported by witnesses.
Video footage shared on social media depicted crowds, including those seeking refuge from violence in the capital Khartoum, hastily packing up their belongings and departing on foot.
“The war has followed us to Madani so I am looking for a bus so me and my family can flee,” 45-year-old Ahmed Salih reported to a UK-based news agency in a phone call.
“We are living in hell and there is no one to help us.” He also stated that he intended to move south to Sennar.
The Sudanese army, in control of the city since the conflict's onset, initiated air strikes against Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to the east of Wad Madani, the capital of Gezira state, in an effort to repel the assault that commenced on Friday, according to witnesses.
The RSF responded with artillery, and witnesses observed reinforcements from the RSF heading towards the conflict zone.
In recent days and weeks, RSF soldiers have been sighted in villages north and west of the city, as reported by residents.
The United Nations disclosed that 14,000 individuals had evacuated the area, with a few thousand having already reached other cities. Notably, half a million people had sought refuge in Gezira, primarily from Khartoum.
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