- Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) reclaim the presidential complex and key government sites
- RSF disputes defeat, claims counterattack killed 89 SAF troops
- Drone strike kills 10, including soldiers and journalists
- Army vows to retake Khartoum Airport as next major target
The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) have made significant gains in Khartoum, driving out Rapid Support Forces (RSF) fighters from key locations, including the presidential complex, Al Souq Al-Arabi Market, and several government ministries.
This latest victory is part of an ongoing military campaign launched in September 2024, aimed at reclaiming areas seized by the RSF since the war erupted in April 2023.
RSF Disputes Army’s Claims
While the SAF celebrates its latest advances, the RSF insists that it still controls positions near the palace and claims to have inflicted heavy losses on the army.
“The battle is far from over. We will reclaim all positions,” the RSF declared in a statement, alleging that 89 SAF troops were killed in a counterattack.
Meanwhile, a military source, speaking to Xinhua on condition of anonymity, reported that a drone strike targeted a group of soldiers and journalists inside the palace’s outer courtyard, killing at least 10 people, including members of the media.
Al-Burhan Vows to Keep Fighting
SAF Commander and head of the Transitional Military Council, Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, reaffirmed his commitment to pressing forward with the offensive.
“Our forces are advancing steadily, and there is no turning back,” Al-Burhan declared while addressing troops in Gezira State.
Government spokesman Khalid Ali Aleisir described RSF forces as being in retreat, urging them to surrender. Meanwhile, SAF operations commander Mohamed Abdul-Rahman Al-Belawi announced that the army’s next major objective is to retake Khartoum Airport, pledging to fully clear the capital of RSF fighters.
War Toll and Army’s Recent Gains
The ongoing conflict has devastated Sudan, with the United Nations estimating that nearly 30,000 people have died since the fighting began.
Since late 2023, the SAF has successfully reclaimed large areas of central Khartoum, parts of Bahri city, and strategic locations like Wad Madani in Gezira State. Recent victories have also been reported in Omdurman, where army forces secured several neighborhoods in the Umbada district.
Despite these advances, the RSF continues to hold pockets of resistance in rural Gezira State and some areas of Khartoum, keeping the battle for control of Sudan far from over.
