The Sudanese army has announced that it has regained full control of the Presidential Palace in downtown Khartoum, marking a significant symbolic victory in the ongoing conflict with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The army, which had been on the defensive for much of the two-year conflict, has recently been making strategic advances, retaking territory in central Sudan.
The RSF had initially seized control of Khartoum, including the palace, in April 2023 following the outbreak of war triggered by disputes over the integration of the RSF into the national armed forces. In its statement, the army claimed to have also regained control of key ministries and other government buildings. Military sources noted that RSF forces had withdrawn about 400 meters from the palace area.
RSF Consolidates Control in the West
While the army gains momentum in Khartoum, the RSF has strengthened its control in western Sudan, particularly in North Darfur. The group has been establishing a parallel government in territories it controls, although international recognition remains unlikely. With fighting continuing across the country, Sudan is increasingly veering towards de facto partition.
Humanitarian Crisis and Public Sentiment
The ongoing conflict has triggered what the UN calls the world’s largest humanitarian crisis, causing widespread famine, disease, and displacement across Sudan. Amid the fighting, Khartoum residents expressed hope for an end to the violence. Mohamed Ibrahim, a local, shared his relief: “The liberation of the palace is the best news I’ve heard since the start of the war… we want to be safe again and live without fear or hunger.”
Despite occasional gunfire still echoing through Khartoum, the army has vowed to continue pushing against the RSF, aiming to clear the capital of what it refers to as “militia” forces. Both sides have been accused of war crimes, with the RSF facing allegations of genocide, though both deny the charges.
This struggle, which began in 2023, continues to reshape Sudan’s political landscape, originally set on a path toward democratic reform after the fall of Omar al-Bashir in 2019. The war’s root causes remain tied to tensions between the army, led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the RSF, led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, whose militias originated in the infamous janjaweed groups of Darfur.
The Road Ahead
As the army seeks to reassert control, the future of Sudan hangs in the balance, with both sides locked in a destructive and costly power struggle.
