Thousands of civilians in Sudan volunteered to fight alongside the army (communication sites)
Khartoum -
The fierce war taking place in Sudan since last April has opened the door to organized military formations and popular voluntary formations that have engaged in fighting alongside the army in the face of the Rapid Support Forces, to force them to retreat from their positions of control in Khartoum, Darfur, Al-Jazira and Kordofan.
In an interview with Al Jazeera Net, Yasser Al-Atta, Assistant Commander-in-Chief of the Army, spoke about his meetings with some of the groups that were formed within the so-called “Popular Resistance” to defeat the Rapid Support. He mentioned among these groups the “Al-Baraa Battalion” and “Angry” and also referred to the formation of the Supreme Committee. For the popular resistance in Khartoum state.
In many states where the war did not extend, the sight of hundreds of volunteers and mobilizers performing military training to join the popular resistance and confront any possible movement of the Rapid Support Forces has become common.
In addition to training in the use of weapons, some volunteer groups conducted joint maneuvers with the army in areas under its control, and some of them were carried out in the cities of Shendi on the border of the Nile River State with Khartoum, Dongola in the northern state, and New Halfa in the east of the country, according to participants in the maneuvers from the popular resistance who spoke to Al Jazeera Net. .
New brigades
From the "Popular Resistance" special teams emerged, including the "Resistance Intelligence in Old Omdurman," a city that represents an important part of the capital, and control of which is shared by the army and the Rapid Support.
The group includes - according to a statement obtained by Al Jazeera Net from one of its members named Ahmed, who asked to indicate his first name only - selected cadres to collect information about the whereabouts of the "Rapid Support", monitor its movements, and assist the military services in directing air and artillery strikes on their centers.
In addition, other battalions and groups appeared that were trained and attached to the army in various areas of the capital, while a large group of Islamists loyal to the former regime operated within the “Al-Baraa bin Malik” battalion.
Al-Atta does not favor classifications that indicate the loyalty of this or that group to a particular movement, and says that “the army has them like other citizens who defend their homeland against cross-border militias.”
He revealed that he met with young Islamists and groups from the “Angry” entity and informed them that, as a state and an army, they do not know the “Al-Baraa” or “Angry” battalion, but rather they know them as citizens defending their country and presenting them under the command of the army.
Al-Baraa bin Malik
Weeks after the start of the war between the army and the Rapid Support Forces, it was announced that the Al-Baraa bin Malik Battalion would be transformed into a brigade following the joining of large numbers of fighters to the army in the Armored Corps south of Khartoum, one of the most prominent army headquarters from which the Rapid Support fight is planned.
Hundreds of former Popular Defense fighters joined the banner of this group, which is the popular military formation that was active during the rule of deposed President Omar al-Bashir, and its role became prominent during the war against the SPLA rebels in South Sudan.
Hours after the start of the war, Al-Misbah Abu Zaid, commander of the Al-Baraa Brigade, one of the young men known for belonging to the Sudanese Islamic Movement, appeared from within the Armored Corps. Video clips of the battles produced by the battalion and broadcast on social media platforms began to appear, accompanied by well-known Islamic chants and chants.
Al-Baraa bin Malik is affiliated with the Sudanese Islamic Movement, according to political analyst Mohamed Idris, who believes - in an interview with Al Jazeera Net - that the components and elements of that battalion firmly confirm that it is one of the shadow brigades that Ali Othman Mohamed Taha, Vice President Omar Al-Bashir, spoke about in 2018.
This battalion has a wide range of weapons and elements equipped to fight in various circumstances, according to Idris, and it is also said that “some of its members are in charge of directing the drones.”
A visit by the Commander of the Al-Baraa Brigade bin Malik
to the alert camps in the northern state, Al-Salim region #Maaramah_Al-Karama #One_Army_One_People#One_United_Sudan
#Baraoun, O Messenger of God pic.twitter.com/11mdcWbJ5Z
- Liwa Al-Baraa bin Malik (@lwa84948) January 30, 2024
The solid structure
The "Al-Bunyan Al-Marsous" battalion is fighting alongside the Sudanese army, which is one of the largest former battalions in the Popular Defense Forces that was disbanded in 2020, and includes members of the former National Security and Intelligence Service who left their work after the overthrow of the Bashir regime in 2019.
A source in the Popular Defense told Al Jazeera Net, "This battalion underwent advanced training on various weapons, and its members are currently present alongside army forces in several locations in the three cities of the capital."
Among the participants from the Islamic groups affiliated with the former regime with the army - according to the previous source in the Popular Defense - was the “Popular Security” group, which during Al-Bashir’s rule was responsible for highly secret security tasks.
Resistants in White Nile State declared readiness to fight with the army (communication sites)
Infinitely angry
Members of the “Angry Without Borders” entity also joined the army forces, which is a youth group between the ages of 17 and 24 years old. It emerged strongly during the popular protests against the Bashir regime, and was known for confronting the security forces and police on the front lines of demonstrations, and after that it continued to resist against the military junta. The previous transitional transitional period, as well as after the decisions of the Army Commander in October 2021.
A number of “Angry” cadres joined the alert camps, and joined training in army units, especially the armored corps, and there are others in the Omdurman Corps of Engineers and the Air Force camp.
Modern brigades
Al Jazeera Net's follow-ups revealed preparations to announce a battalion called 'Al-Matmoura' in the state of Gedaref, east of the country, along with other groups in other localities in the state that were trained and armed with light weapons.
Testimonies collected by Al Jazeera Net show the preparation of other groups in the localities of Rabak and Al Salam in the White Nile State in the south, and the Mustafinir camp for the popular resistance in Kassala, Aruma and New Halfa in eastern Sudan.
These preparations are carried out under the direct supervision of local government authorities, and in coordination with the military leadership in the region.
In the north of the country, several cities are witnessing popular resistance formations, in addition to groups deployed in Abu Sharif camp in the city of Kosti in White Nile State, Shendi in River Nile State, and others in North Kordofan and Sinnar states, in addition to cities in West Kordofan state, all of which have begun their military and training activities.
Last weekend, the Khartoum State government announced the beginning of the activity of the Supreme Committee for Popular Resistance in the state, and the opening of the door to joining and arming in areas controlled by the army.
An army officer - who requested that his name and rank be withheld - says, “The popular resistance groups do not engage in combat operations or participate in battles because they have not received complete military training, but they are responsible for securing some neighborhoods and sites, conducting patrols to protect against thieves, and monitoring suspicious movements.”
On the contrary, a member of the popular resistance who is currently in an army camp in Khartoum confirms - to Al Jazeera Net - his participation among the soldiers in combat operations and extensive combing.
In an interview with Al Jazeera Net, the former officer in the armed forces, Fathi Ahmed, described the current popular resistance experience as a failure because it was based on ethnic and regional foundations. He pointed out the weakness of training, equipping and arming the people intended to work within the popular resistance, and the development of ineffective plans to benefit from them in a battle that he saw as unequal with trained soldiers. At a high level and equipped with heavy and modern weapons.
Recovery 🤍
The birth of a new battalion from the womb of popular resistance.
(Al-Matmoura Battalion) #Bl_bas pic.twitter.com/Ix80cnKfxR
— Vendetta (@Khalid_Jesus) January 15, 2024
Resistance weapon
Every governor in the areas under the control of the army heads the Supreme Committee for Popular Resistance, in addition to a committee in each district headed by a person who is responsible for the task of identifying those wishing to submit the list to the committee that submits it to the military command in the locality or state, in order to join the conscription or arming camp after bringing proof of the training and qualification of the recruiter. Use of weapons.
The district official, according to Al Jazeera Net and the testimony of one of the militants in the city of Omdurman, supervises the distribution of weapons and ammunition in coordination with the military intelligence elements of the army.
The volunteer is given one piece of weapon, which is a Kalashnikov rifle, and 3 additional clips filled with ammunition, registered with a serial number, after filling out a form containing his personal data. Al-Mustafan confirmed that no heavy weapons, machine guns, cannons or rocket-launching weapons were distributed as rumored.
Source: Al Jazeera