KHARTOUM – Fighting in Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, intensified over the weekend as the Sudanese army claimed to have seized a key stronghold from the Rapid Support Forces militia (RSF) in the city’s northern sector. The army’s gains bring it closer to potentially controlling the entire Khartoum region, a key strategic objective in the ongoing conflict.
According to reports from Agence France-Presse (AFP), the army’s advance positions it to control all of northern Khartoum, which, alongside the cities of Khartoum and Omdurman, makes up the country’s metropolitan capital.
Army spokesman Nabil Abdullah stated that Sudanese forces, along with allied units, had completed clearing operations in the Abuquta area and areas east of the Nile and Kafouri, targeting what he described as “remnants of the Daglo terrorist militias,” in reference to the RSF under the command of Mohamed Hamdan Daglo (Hemedti). Abuquta, a relatively affluent district in Khartoum, is a key base of operations for the RSF.
The Sudanese army has been battling the RSF since April 2023. Recent weeks have seen a renewed and intensified military offensive aimed at reasserting government control over Khartoum.
One anonymous army source told AFP that Sudanese forces were nearing the city centre and aiming to “expel the Daglo militia,” with armoured units advancing on multiple fronts. Earlier in the week, the military claimed to have cleared the Al-Rumaila and industrial areas, located approximately three kilometres from the Presidential Palace, which remains in RSF hands.
The brutal conflict has caused widespread devastation across Sudan, resulting in a staggering loss of life (estimated to be in the tens of thousands), the displacement of over 12 million people, and critical damage to already fragile infrastructure. Humanitarian conditions across much of the country are dire.
Al-Burhan Rejects Negotiations Without RSF Disarmament
In a separate statement on Saturday, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the President of Sudan’s Sovereign Council and the country’s de facto leader, asserted that no direct negotiations are currently underway with the RSF. Al-Burhan outlined conditions for potential talks, stating, “We can talk to the Rapid Support Forces only if they lay down their weapons.”
While acknowledging that he had received offers of a potential Ramadan ceasefire, al-Burhan stated, “We will not accept any cease-fire unless the Rapid Support Forces withdraw from all states and gather in specific centres.” He further stated that the army would not allow the RSF to gain an advantage from any cessation of hostilities and that military operations would continue until the RSF’s siege of the city of Al-Fashir is lifted.
Al-Burhan reiterated the government’s commitment to “control the entire country,” expressing confidence that the conflict would ultimately result in a military victory. He also emphasised that the army represented “all Sudanese.”
Looking ahead, Al-Burhan announced plans for the formation of a new technocratic government in Khartoum, and that consultations were ongoing to appoint a civilian Prime Minister to lead it. The new government’s primary task, according to Al-Burhan, will be to help “complete the remaining military operations,” with input from Sudanese political forces also being taken into account.
Al-Burhan also addressed the role of political parties in Sudan’s future, stating that the National Congress Party (NCP), formerly led by ousted President Omar al-Bashir, would not be permitted to return to power. He further stated that the Coordination of Civilian Democratic Forces (Tagadum), along with the Forces for Freedom and Change, were viewed by the government in a similar light to the NCP and the RSF. He suggested that Tagadum could be welcomed into a future political process if it distanced itself from the RSF.
