Sudanese army tightens grip on Khartoum after recapturing presidential palace

Published March 25th, 2025 - 11:50 GMT
Sudanese army tightens grip on Khartoum after recapturing presidential palace
An image grab taken from a video released by the Saudi news network Al-Arabiya on March 21, 2025, shows Sudanese army soldiers posing for a picture in the presidential palace in Khartoum. AFP
Highlights
Yasser Atta, a member of Sudan’s Sovereignty Council, stated that the army plans to besiege RSF fighters across the country.

ALBAWABA- After nearly two years of brutal civil war between Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the military has made significant gains, recapturing the presidential palace and key areas in the capital, Khartoum.

A Sudanese military source confirmed that the army has taken control of the Police Club, police station, and police hospital in the Burri neighborhood, while the RSF has withdrawn from Al-Sahafa, Kalaklat, and Al-Azhari in southern Khartoum. 

The army, along with allied forces, is pressing forward and has mobilized three divisions to advance toward Jebel Awliya, aiming to declare the entire Khartoum state free of RSF presence.

Yasser Atta, a member of Sudan’s Sovereignty Council, stated that the army plans to besiege RSF fighters across the country. Meanwhile, sources told Al Jazeera that RSF forces launched an attack on El Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan, causing casualties.

In a major strategic shift, the Sudanese military has seized several key facilities in Khartoum, including the central bank, intelligence headquarters, and the National Museum. 

The army is determined to fully liberate the capital, fulfilling a pledge by army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.

The RSF had occupied these government institutions since the conflict erupted in April 2023, using the presidential palace as a command center and ammunition depot. 

On Friday, the army’s offensive successfully pushed RSF forces out, though the paramilitary group retaliated with a drone strike that killed three journalists and several soldiers.

With these gains, the army now controls the entire left bank of the Blue Nile and has secured a crucial route linking Khartoum to Omdurman. While this marks a major shift in the war, analysts caution that the conflict is far from over. 

In a video message on Saturday, Burhan declared, “The battle is not over—we are moving in confident steps toward the complete liberation of Sudan.”

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