KHARTOUM: The Sudanese army has claimed to retake complete control of Khartoum city from Rapid Support Forces (RSF) fighters after two years of losing the capital to the rebel paramilitary group.
“Our forces today have … forcibly cleansed the last pockets of the remnants of the Daglo militia (RSF) in Khartoum locality,” military spokesman Nabil Abdullah said in a statement late on Thursday.
The RSF, led by Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, has been battling against the army since April 2023.
The announcement came after army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan on Wednesday declared the capital “free” from the RSF while standing inside the newly reclaimed presidential palace.
After suffering a series of defeats for a year and a half, the army launched a counteroffensive that gradually advanced through central Sudan towards the capital.
According to the army, there are still areas in Khartoum where RSF fighters are hiding and unable to leave because they are afraid of being captured.
No retreat, no surrender
However, the RSF stated there would be “no retreat and no surrender”, adding its forces have only repositioned.
“We will deliver crushing defeats to the enemy on all fronts,” it said in a statement, its first direct comment since the army’s offensive began in Khartoum this week.
Blue Nile battle
Just hours after Burhan returned to the presidential palace for the first time in two years, the RSF declared a “military alliance” with a rebel group controlling significant areas of South Kordofan and parts of Blue Nile near the Ethiopian border.
The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North, led by Abdelaziz Al-Hilu, had previously clashed with both factions before signing a political charter with the RSF last month to form a rival government.
The army’s 4th Infantry Division in Damazin said in a statement on Friday that its air defences intercepted the drones.
According to the International Rescue Committee, the war has killed tens of thousands, displaced more than 12 million, and created the “biggest humanitarian crisis ever recorded.
“This is not just a crisis, it is a poly-crisis affecting every sector, from health and nutrition to water, education and protection,” Catherine Russell, UNICEF Executive Director, told the Security Council.
“Children in Sudan are enduring unimaginable suffering and horrific violence. The last time I was in Sudan I met with families and children who are living through this nightmare. Their stories are heartbreaking – and demand immediate action,” Russell said.
