ALBAWABA – In a significant development in Sudan’s ongoing conflict, the national army announced Friday it had seized full control of the Presidential Palace in central Khartoum after intense clashes with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
A senior military source told Al Jazeera that the operation began with the army securing the palace's eastern gate before engaging in fierce combat inside the compound. Dozens of RSF fighters were reportedly killed, while others fled into the nearby Arab Market and Al-Ghaba Street.
The army described the victory as a crushing blow to what it labeled the “terrorist militia of the Dagalos,” asserting that it had taken control of central Khartoum, including key government ministries.
Brigadier General Nabil Abdullah confirmed the army had seized substantial enemy equipment and arms, vowing to press forward until all of Sudan is under full military control. He also hinted at plans to retake Khartoum International Airport and clear eastern areas of the capital.
In retaliation, RSF forces launched drone strikes on the palace, killing civilians and three journalists, according to the Sudanese army. The RSF acknowledged the army’s gain but insisted the battle for the palace isn’t over, claiming to have killed 89 soldiers and inflicted significant damage in a counterattack.
Suleiman Sandal, a leader within the pro-RSF Sudan Founding Alliance, conceded the army’s capture of the palace, calling it part of the ebb and flow of wartime dynamics.
Meanwhile, Sudanese government officials hailed the operation as a major symbolic and strategic victory. “The flag now flies over the Presidential Palace,” said Information Minister Khaled Al-Ayeser, adding that the army is restoring national sovereignty.
