The conflict between Sudan’s military, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), commanded by Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, has thrown the nation into turmoil since April 2023. The war has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths, and millions of displacements, and left the country on the brink of famine.
On Friday, the Sudanese Army announced a significant breakthrough in the conflict, declaring that it had successfully lifted the siege of its General Command headquarters in Khartoum. The siege, which had been imposed by the RSF since the onset of the war, had prevented access to vital military installations. The army reported that reinforcements from Bahri and Omdurman had joined forces to break the RSF’s encirclement, expelling the paramilitary forces from key strategic locations, including the Jaili oil refinery.
While the RSF has not yet issued an official statement regarding the developments, they had previously denied losing control of key bases, including the Signal Corps base, which, along with the General Command, had been under siege since the conflict began.
In Port Sudan, which has become the de facto capital, there was widespread celebration as the news of the army’s victory spread. Residents took to the streets, chanting “one army, one people,” while similar celebrations were reported in Omdurman, where cars honked and Sudanese flags were waved in the air.
The conflict continues to devastate Sudan, with no clear end in sight, as both sides remain locked in a bitter struggle for control of the country.
