The Sudanese army intensified its efforts to gain full control of Khartoum on March 27, 2025, by shelling parts of Omdurman, the twin city of Khartoum, in a bid to expel the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) from the region. This military operation follows the army’s declaration the previous day that it had ousted the RSF from its last strongholds in Khartoum. However, RSF fighters continue to hold key areas in Omdurman, located just across the Nile River from Khartoum, and have fortified positions in western Sudan, further dividing the country into rival territories.
For residents of Khartoum, the announcement of the RSF’s expulsion was greeted with relief after nearly two years of devastating conflict.
The war, which erupted in April 2023, has left Khartoum in ruins, displacing more than 12 million Sudanese citizens and leaving millions more facing severe food shortages. The United Nations has described the humanitarian situation in Sudan as the worst in the world, with the death toll reaching at least 60,000 in Khartoum state alone. The prolonged conflict has also exacerbated instability in neighboring countries such as Libya, Chad, the Central African Republic, and South Sudan, all of which are grappling with their own internal crises.
Despite the Sudanese Army progress in recapturing Khartoum, the RSF has denied losing any ground, claiming it has repositioned its forces to expand its influence on multiple fronts. The RSF issued a statement saying it was still working to secure its military objectives, without specifying the locations of these targets. Sudanese army chief General Abdul Fattah al-Burhan, speaking from the retaken presidential palace, proclaimed that “Khartoum is free” from RSF control, marking a symbolic victory for the army.
However, the conflict is far from over. While the Sudanese Army controls most of Omdurman, it remains focused on driving out the remaining RSF troops in the city to complete its control over the entire Khartoum area. In the western region of Darfur, RSF forces continue to shell army positions in the city of al-Fashir, underscoring that the battle is still intensifying in other parts of Sudan. Some RSF fighters who had retreated from Khartoum are reportedly heading west toward Darfur, while others are reinforcing their positions in Omdurman.
While the Sudanese Army control over Khartoum is a significant development in the conflict, Sudan remains deeply divided, and the RSF’s presence in various regions of the country shows that peace is still a distant goal. The ongoing fighting and shifting military positions indicate that the struggle for control of Sudan will continue for the foreseeable future.
