The Sudanese army announced on Friday that it had taken complete control of the Presidential Palace in downtown Khartoum, marking one of its most symbolic victories in a two-year conflict against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), Reuters reported
The conflict erupted in April 2023 after government forces and the RSF failed to agree on a power-sharing deal, which was intended to lead to democratic elections following their joint military coup in 2021. The ongoing conflict has pushed Sudan toward a de facto partition.
The RSF, led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, initially captured the Presidential Palace and much of Khartoum when fighting broke out.
However, after months of being on the defensive, the Sudanese army, under Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has recently regained ground, reclaiming key areas in central Sudan.
The army also reported taking control of key government ministries and other important buildings in central Khartoum. Military sources stated that RSF fighters had withdrawn approximately 400 meters from the palace.
While the RSF has been losing territory across much of the country, it has tightened its grip in the west, reinforcing battle lines and attempting to establish a parallel government, an effort that is unlikely to receive widespread international recognition.
Despite these setbacks, the RSF claimed on Thursday night that it had captured a key military base in North Darfur, further escalating the conflict in western Sudan.
Sudan humanitarian crisis
The war has led to what the United Nations describes as the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. At least 150,000 people have been killed, while more than 12 million have been forced to flee their homes.
Famine is spreading across multiple regions, and disease continues to ravage the country’s population of 50 million.
Both sides have been accused of war crimes, while the RSF faces additional allegations of genocide. However, both groups deny any wrongdoing.
