Sudanese Army Retakes Major City

The Sudanese Armed Forces (saf) retook Wad Madani on Saturday, scoring a major victory and helping turn the tide in Sudan’s civil war.

Why it matters: If the saf wins its war, Iran will likely have a strong influence over Sudan. The group’s offensive has largely been made possible because of Tehran’s aid.

Strategic point: The saf’s opponent, the Rapid Support Forces (rsf), took Wad Madani over a year ago. But the saf has been pushing forward since starting an offensive in October.

Wad Madani is one of Sudan’s 10 largest cities. It is the capital of the Gezira state and serves as a crossroads of highways that link several states. Whoever controls the city has easier access to the rest of the country. Resources travel through Wad Madani to Sudan’s capital, which has suffered gridlock fighting since the war started in April 2023.

Now that [the rsf] lost that territory, that progress that it was able to make will not be possible, and its forces in those areas will be trapped between forces of the Sudanese Army.
—Hiba Morgan, journalist for Al Jazeera

Morale boost: Wad Madani’s recapture has increased support for the saf. When the city fell in December 2023, many in the saf began doubting its leadership.

Now that Wad Madani is back under the control of the Sudanese Army, the Army is likely to gain—especially its leadership—… more support, not just from the soldiers and officers but also from the Sudanese citizens as well.
—Hiba Morgan

This victory came soon after the saf began advancing in Omdurman, Sudan’s second-largest city, further raising morale.

Prophetic perspective: Bible prophecy reveals that Iran will set up as many proxies as possible in Africa, especially along the Mediterranean and Red seas. We don’t know which side Sudan will end up on, but this story shows one area where this prophesied trend may be coming to pass.

Learn more: Read “Iran Is Conquering Sudan.”