Sudanese army troops have advanced to within 500 metres of the presidential palace in Khartoum, which has been under the control of paramilitary forces for almost two years, according to a military source.
On Thursday, the army reported that its forces had destroyed a convoy of 30 vehicles belonging to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which were attempting to retreat southward from the area. This military move comes as part of a larger offensive to reclaim parts of Khartoum lost to the RSF in the early stages of the conflict that began in April 2023.
The escalation in fighting around the presidential palace follows a convergence of army troops from the south and forces already present in central Khartoum, significantly increasing pressure on the RSF. AFP journalists reported hearing explosions and gunfire throughout the city as combat intensified.
The war, which pits Sudan’s army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan against his former deputy, RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, has led to tens of thousands of deaths and displaced more than 12 million people across the country. Over 3.5 million people have fled their homes in greater Khartoum alone, representing more than half of the city’s pre-war population.
As the conflict continues to divide the country, the army now controls the north and east of Sudan, while the RSF holds much of the west and south.
In recent weeks, the army has managed to retake Khartoum’s North and East Nile districts. However, the RSF still controls several positions in southern Khartoum and the neighbouring city of Omdurman.
