Overwhelming Joy Sweeps The City As The Siege Is Lifted Delanj... Life Returns

Spontaneous crowds poured into the streets, chanting, proclaiming“Allahu Akbar,” and ululating as they welcomed the heroes.
An end to chapters of suffering, food shortages, and the absence of medical services.

Markazo: The military junction represents a victory for national will, and a living embodiment of determination, sacrifice, and heroism.

Monday, January 26, marked a decisive and historic turning point for the city of Delanj, the cultural capital of South Kordofan State. This came with the entry of the Sudanese Armed Forces, the Joint Force, and allied supporting units into the city, and their successful junction with the forces of the 54th Infantry Brigade stationed in Delanj, under the command of Brigadier General Al-Zaki Koko Khalid.

This development has been described as one of the most significant field transformations in the South Kordofan theater of operations. The city witnessed unprecedented scenes of celebration, as residents turned out en masse to receive the forces with chants of praise, takbir, and tears of joy. Men wept openly as women's ululations and children's chants filled the air, in a powerful scene that embodied the deep bond between the army and the people, and marked, in practical terms, the breaking of a prolonged siege that had exhausted the city and its residents for more than two years.

Siege and Steadfastness

For over two years, Delanj endured a harsh siege, during which it was subjected to repeated artillery shelling and drone attacks. Since the outbreak of the war in April 2023, the city had become a constant target of organized assaults.

In a rare and complex sequence of events, Delanj initially faced a unilateral attack by forces of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement–North (Al-Hilu faction). Later, it confronted a separate assault by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Subsequently, the city witnessed a notable national stance when a group from the SPLM-composed of Delanj natives-cooperated with the Sudanese army and successfully repelled an RSF attack on the outskirts of the city.

With the announcement of the Al-Hilu–Dagalo alliance under the so-called“Founding Alliance,” Delanj faced a dual assault combining both forces. All such attempts, however, ended in decisive failure, with the attacking forces retreating in defeat after suffering heavy losses in manpower and equipment. These battles were described as among the fiercest witnessed in Sudanese cities, with Delanj's defenders delivering lessons the enemy had not encountered elsewhere.

Strategic Importance of Delanj

Delanj holds exceptional strategic, political, economic, social, and cultural significance. It lies at a direct contact line with areas controlled by forces loyal to Abdelaziz Al-Hilu, and for more than two years was trapped in a double siege: RSF forces to the north in Al-Dabibat, and SPLM forces to the south near Hajar Al-Jawad.

The city serves as a vital artery connecting South, North, and West Kordofan, and functions as a major hub for trade and agriculture, supported by the Habila agricultural schemes and active livestock markets, foremost among them Al-Hajiz Market. Delanj also occupies a prominent academic and cultural position as the home of the University of Delanj, and is distinguished by its rich social diversity, reflecting Sudan's mosaic in one of its finest forms.

Patience Rewarded

Journalist Abdel Wahab Azraq stated that Delanj endured genuine suffering, marked by severe shortages of medicine and food, the collapse of basic services-including healthcare, electricity, water, and education-and restrictions on movement.

Speaking to Al-Karama from within Delanj, Azraq noted that the city endured child malnutrition, outbreaks of cholera, malaria, and typhoid, as well as chronic illnesses such as hypertension and diabetes, leading to the loss of children and elderly residents alike. He added that Delanj withstood indiscriminate shelling, drone strikes, the fall of martyrs, as well as rumors, fifth-column activities, and disinformation campaigns that deeply troubled citizens.

He continued:“The city endured road closures, deprivation from goods, scarcity of commodities, soaring prices, and the greed of some traders-until a sack of sorghum reached 60,000 Sudanese pounds, a kilogram of sugar 40,000, a sack of peanuts 40,000, and a sack of cowpeas 80,000 pounds.”
Despite all this, he emphasized, Delanj endured the ordeal with patience, was tested, persevered-and ultimately triumphed.

The End of the Al-Hilu–Dagalo Alliance

Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Mohamed Markazo Koko, former governor of South Kordofan, former head of the Security and Defense Committee in the Sudanese Parliament, and current general coordinator of the Jibal Shield Mobile Force, stated that the junction of the Armed Forces and the Joint Force with the 54th Infantry Brigade in Delanj represents a major victory for national will and a testament to courage and sacrifice.

In his statement to Al-Karama, Markazo explained that the junction enables resupply operations, lifts the burden of siege from steadfast citizens, and signals the full recovery of the Sudanese Armed Forces. He added that it demonstrates the army's ability to seize the initiative, maneuver, redeploy, and shift from defensive postures to offensive operations across multiple fronts.

Markazo stressed that this step will positively impact southern advances toward Kadugli, paving the way for lifting the siege on the capital of South Kordofan State. He described the event as a severe shock and a heavy blow to the Al-Hilu–Dagalo alliance, marking the beginning of the end for the“Founding Alliance” and its virtual government.

A Significant Conclusion

In any case, the entry of the Sudanese Armed Forces into Delanj and their junction with the 54th Infantry Brigade constitutes a strategic turning point in the course of military operations in South Kordofan-not only by breaking a long-standing siege, but by reshaping the balance of power and imposing a new field reality.

The event affirms that the resilience of cities, when paired with popular will and cohesive armed forces, can defeat even the most complex military alliances. It also opens the door to a new phase defined by lifting sieges, securing supply lines, and advancing toward the liberation of remaining cities in the region-foremost among them Kadugli, which now breathes a cautious sigh of relief.

Delanj, which endured patiently for so long, did not triumph by arms alone, but through the patience of its people, the unity of its social fabric, and an unshakable belief that victory is always born from the womb of suffering.

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