The Army Breaks the Siege of Kadugli, Al-Burhan Vows to Reach Darfur
The Sudanese army, along with its allies from the Joint Force and Special Operations Forces, ended the siege of Kadugli on Tuesday, which had lasted for more than two years.
The Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Head of the Sovereignty Council, Abdul Fattah al-Burhan, congratulated the Sudanese people on the army’s advance in South Kordofan and the lifting of the siege of Kadugli, affirming the determination to reach Darfur.
In press statements on Tuesday, Al-Burhan stressed that a ceasefire would not be accepted while the militias occupied the cities. He expressed his welcome for calls for peace, but indicated that the price would not be “selling the blood of the Sudanese people.”
The army’s arrival in Kadugli comes a week after breaking the siege of Dilling, following the recapture of the Hebeila locality and several small villages in the Al-Qouz locality.
Since the beginning of this week, the army has launched a large-scale military operation aimed at reaching Kadugli, the capital of South Kordofan State. It has engaged in fierce battles against the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia along the Kadugli-Dilling highway, enabling it to seize control of the towns of Al-Samasim and Al-Karkal.
Military sources stated that the “Al-Sayyad” force, comprising troops from the 16th Division in Nyala, along with mobilized forces and elements of the joint force allied with the army, arrived in Kadugli today after clashes in the towns of Al-Tuqata’ and Al-Kuweik.
They indicated that the army managed to breach the advanced defenses of the RSF and the SPLM-N in the town of Al-Kuweik, north of Kadugli, before continuing its advance into the city.
They reported that the army’s arrival in Kadugli signifies the lifting of the siege that had been in place for many months.
Thousands of citizens gathered to welcome the Sudanese army at the Al-Sha’ir gate, the western entrance to Kadugli, while others lined the road leading to the main market, the government secretariat, and the headquarters of the 14th Infantry Division.