Sudanese army takes full control of Presidential Palace

Sudanese state television and military sources confirmed the news, while forces were still hunting for remnants of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the surrounding area.

RSF has not yet commented on this development. Witnesses in Khartoum said they could still hear sporadic gunfire in some central areas.

Sudanese military members film themselves inside the Presidential Palace after declaring control of the Presidential Palace in Khartoum on March 21. Screenshot

The conflict between the Sudanese army and the RSF has sparked one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, with widespread famine and disease. Both sides have been accused of war crimes, with the RSF also accused of genocide. Both the Sudanese army and the RSF deny these allegations.

RSF seized the presidential palace and much of the capital when fighting broke out in April 2023. But in recent months, the Sudanese army has regained the upper hand and is gradually advancing towards the presidential palace along the Nile.

Despite being pushed back from some areas, the RSF still controls much of Khartoum, Omdurman and western Sudan, where fighting is still fierce in al-Fashir, the army's last stronghold in Darfur.

Retaking the capital could accelerate the Sudanese army’s push to control the entire center of the country, while also cementing the division of territory between the two factions along an east-west axis. Both the Sudanese army and the RSF have said they will continue fighting for control of the entire country, while peace talks have yet to yield concrete results.

The fighting erupted amid a power struggle between two factions ahead of Sudan's planned transition to civilian rule. There are no signs that the conflict will end soon.

Ngoc Anh (according to SDM, Reuters, Sudan TV)