The highest responsible for the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as 'Hemedti', has given instructions to rethink the military strategy of his group after the Sudanese Army managed, over the weekend, to take several positions from him in the state of North Kordofan, including a key road that links the regional capital, El Obeid, with Khartoum, the capital of the country.
"From today there is no rest. It is a matter of life or death," explained 'Hemedti' in video statements released on Monday, in which he urged his fighters to "modify" their combat methods and to stop recording their movements on the front in video, considering that this material provides the Sudanese Army with crucial information about their operations.
The leader of the RSF also assured that he will personally join his men on the ground in the next phase of the conflict. "There is no turning back. We must move forward," he stated, according to what the newspaper 'Sudan Tribune' published this Tuesday.
These words come after the head of the Sudanese Army and president of the Transitional Sovereign Council, Abdelfatá al Burhan, traveled to Umm Sayala and Yabrat al Sheij, near the city of Bara, areas conquered by his forces after a lightning offensive carried out last weekend.
In this strategic enclave runs a significant export route that connects the large city of Omdurman, located on the outskirts of Khartoum, with El Obeid, in North Kordofan. The units deployed on the ground inspected the area and located large stockpiles of weapons and food, as well as spare parts for armored vehicles belonging to the RSF.
The open conflict between the Army and the RSF erupted in April 2023 due to deep disagreements regarding the incorporation of the paramilitary group —currently designated as a terrorist organization— into the Armed Forces. This struggle ultimately derailed the transition initiated after the overthrow in 2019 of the regime of Omar Hasán al Bashir through a military coup.
At least 23 minors dead and 25 injured in two months
In parallel to the military escalation, the fighting has had a devastating impact on the child population. The clashes between the parties have resulted in at least 23 children dead and another 25 injured in this state in the last two months, since hostilities intensified around El Obeid at the end of May, according to data from the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).
The most recent episode was recorded last Friday in the Burbur area, south of El Obeid, where four minors died, raising the number of children dead and injured to eight so far in July. In May, at least ten minors died or were injured, and in June another 30, including a baby only two months old.
"Behind every number is a child whose life has been cut short and a family whose future has changed forever. Boys and girls continue to be victims of this conflict. Their safety, their rights, and the services they depend on must be protected," lamented the UNICEF representative in Sudan, Sheldon Yett.
UNICEF has detailed that, during the first half of the year, at least 330 children lost their lives or were injured due to the violence. "Persistent violence, repeated displacements, and damage to civilian infrastructure are putting the lives, well-being, and future of children at risk," indicated the United Nations agency, which warns of the constant deterioration of the situation for minors in Sudan.