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The Sudanese army is confident of defeating the rebels. Photo/Reuters
JAKARTA – Recent battlefield victories have Sudanese army supporters believing they can turn the tide against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, but experts are still doubtful.
On March 12, the army retook the national radio and television building in Omdurman, Sudan's second largest city and a third of the country's capital.
The victory came weeks after the army broke the RSF siege to retake several neighborhoods in Omdurman.
“I wouldn't be too optimistic, because taking over territory is one thing and defending territory is another thing,” said Hagar Ali, an expert on military-civil relations in Sudan and a PhD candidate at the German Institute for Civil Affairs. Global and Area Studies.
Despite the caution, recent army victories appear to cast doubt over the RSF's ability to conquer the entire country, which seemed possible after they captured Gezira state in December.
Losing food-producing countries and aid centers was a major blow to the army. This raises serious questions about its ability to protect civilians from the RSF, a group accused of committing atrocities such as summary killings, sexual violence and armed robbery.
But the army's recapture of radio and television stations restored confidence in their abilities.
Can the Sudanese Military Win the Battle Against the Rebels?
1. Controlling the Narrative
Photo/Reuters
According to Al Jazeera, taking over national radio and television is very important because this is where military leaders have historically announced their coups against the country.
Now this weapon can serve as a useful tool to help the army's war effort, Sudanese experts and commentators told Al Jazeera.
A Sudanese journalist in Nile River state, who asked not to be named for fear of reprisals from the army, believes members of Sudan's Islamist movement – which ruled for 30 years under former President Omar al-Bashir – will try to control radio and television to carry out the same thing. spread their narrative about the war.