The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) have reclaimed control of the Republican Palace and several key government buildings in central Khartoum, following a coordinated four-day military operation.
This advance constitutes a major setback for the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the paramilitary organisation engaged in armed confrontation with the SAF since April 2023. SAF spokesperson Nabil Abdalla confirmed that government troops had successfully expelled RSF fighters from the presidential compound, the Al Souq Al-Arabi commercial district, and several ministerial offices. These efforts are part of a broader campaign initiated in September 2024 to recover territory previously seized by the RSF.
The RSF has, however, disputed the army’s account, asserting that its forces remain near the palace and have inflicted casualties in retaliatory engagements. A statement from the group insisted, “The battle is not over. We will liberate all positions.”
A drone strike targeting a congregation of SAF personnel and journalists in the palace’s outer courtyard resulted in at least ten fatalities, including both soldiers and members of the press.
General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, leader of the SAF and chair of the Transitional Military Council, reaffirmed his commitment to the military campaign, stating during a visit to Gezira State, “Our forces are advancing steadily, and we will not retreat.” Government spokesperson Khalid Ali Aleisir claimed that RSF units were withdrawing from parts of Khartoum, urging them to surrender. Meanwhile, SAF operations commander Mohamed Abdul-Rahman Al-Belawi noted that the army’s next objective is Khartoum International Airport, which remains under RSF control, as part of wider plans to “clear the capital entirely.”
The conflict has pitted the SAF against RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, a former deputy and erstwhile ally of Al-Burhan. Nearly 30,000 people have died since hostilities began, according to United Nations estimates.
Since late 2023, the SAF has retaken significant areas of central Khartoum, parts of Bahri city, and strategic locations such as Wad Madani in Gezira State. In Omdurman, military sources report SAF advances in several neighbourhoods, including Umbada. Despite these gains, the RSF continues to maintain control over segments of rural Gezira and parts of the capital, highlighting the enduring complexity and volatility of the conflict.
