The Sudanese army has announced that it has completely cleared Khartoum State of paramilitary forces loyal to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), marking a significant development in the country’s ongoing civil war. The declaration comes nearly two months after the military recaptured Khartoum city, including the presidential palace, in a major victory against the RSF.
“Khartoum State is completely free of rebels,” the army declared in a statement released via Sudan’s News Agency. This milestone is seen as a turning point in the conflict that has ravaged Sudan for the past two years, displacing millions and killing thousands.
Despite the army’s announcement, fighting had broken out earlier on Tuesday in Omdurman, a city that is part of the greater Khartoum metropolitan area. The army said on Monday that it had launched a “large-scale offensive” to drive out RSF elements from Omdurman, suggesting that the battle for Khartoum State had continued until very recently.
The RSF has yet to issue a response to the army’s latest claim.
Khartoum, once the administrative heart of Sudan, fell to RSF control early in the conflict, forcing military leaders to relocate their base to Port Sudan on the Red Sea. That city had remained relatively safe until earlier this month, when it came under drone attack, which the army attributed to the RSF. The attack disrupted critical infrastructure, resulting in severe water shortages and electricity blackouts.
The conflict has also strained Sudan’s foreign relations, particularly with the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Sudan has repeatedly accused the UAE of backing the RSF a claim the UAE has strongly denied, labeling the allegations as “unfounded.”
Since the war erupted in 2021, Sudan has plunged into a humanitarian catastrophe. Millions have been displaced, and both the army and RSF face accusations of committing war crimes charges both sides deny.
While the army’s declaration may signal progress on the battlefield, the broader conflict remains unresolved, with peace prospects still elusive amid deepening humanitarian and diplomatic crises.
