Sudanese Army Claims Khartoum Control
The Sudanese army has announced that it has cleared the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) from Khartoum marking a significant shift in control nearly two years after the paramilitary group initially took the capital. In a statement released late Thursday, military spokesman Nabil Abdullah declared that “our forces today have forcibly cleansed the last pockets of the remnants of the Daglo terrorist militia in Khartoum locality.” The term “Daglo” refers to the RSF, led by Mohamed Hamdan Daglo which has been in conflict with the military since April 2023.
The announcement follows army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan’s declaration on Wednesday that the capital was “free” from RSF influence, made from the recently reclaimed presidential palace. After suffering defeats for a year and a half, the army launched a counteroffensive that successfully advanced through central Sudan and regaining strategic locations like Khartoum city and the Jebel Awliya Bridge.
Military analysts have stated that RSF fighters are now “pushed westwards towards Darfur,” with limited options for resupply or retreat. According to sources within the army, there are still pockets of RSF fighters holed up in residential buildings throughout Khartoum, reluctant to emerge for fear of capture.
In response, the RSF issued a statement asserting that there would be “no retreat and no surrender,” claiming that their forces had merely repositioned. They vowed to deliver “crushing defeats to the enemy on all fronts.”
The RSF also revealed a new “military alliance” with the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North, led by Abdelaziz al-Hilu, which has engaged in conflicts with both the army and RSF. The two factions signed a political charter last month aimed at establishing a rival government.
On Thursday evening, residents in the Blue Nile state capital of Damazin reported drone attacks targeting the local airport and the nearby Roseires Dam marking a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict as paramilitary forces and their allies continue their aggressive operations.
As the situation in Sudan evolves, the struggle for power between the army and the RSF remains fraught with both sides displaying a commitment to their causes amidst the ongoing turmoil.
