Sudanese Army Claims Control over Khartoum as Rapid Support Forces Withdraw
Military statements indicate a significant shift in the ongoing conflict amid reports of strategic withdrawals by RSF.
Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the commander of the Sudanese Armed Forces, announced on Wednesday from the presidential palace in Khartoum that the city has been liberated from the grasp of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Burhan stated, "Khartoum is free, and the matter has ended," as RSF troops were observed moving out of the capital towards White Nile state via the Jebel Awliya bridge.
This announcement marks Burhan's first arrival at Khartoum International Airport since the outbreak of hostilities with the RSF in April 2023.
This development follows a period of sustained military pressure from the Sudanese Army, which has been advancing steadily in recent weeks, while RSF forces have reportedly been retreating from Khartoum, encountering minimal resistance, aside from limited skirmishes.
According to RSF advisor, Ezz al-Din al-Safi, in a recent communication, the withdrawal decision was made based on specific military evaluations and had been executed days prior to Burhan's announcement.
Al-Safi emphasized that the RSF would not abandon Khartoum, indicating plans for a return.
In recent hours, the Sudanese Army successfully regained control of Khartoum International Airport, various bridges, and residential areas within the city.
Achieving control of Khartoum represents a significant victory for the Sudanese Armed Forces after nearly two years of conflict in the region.
Military spokesperson Nabil Abdullah reported on Wednesday that the army had consolidated its control over the western side of the Manshiya Bridge in central Khartoum and had cleared the Baqir area to the south.
Further updates relayed via the Sudanese Army's social media indicate ongoing operations in the vicinity of the First Mechanized Infantry Division's headquarters in Baqir, with reports of significant losses incurred by the RSF in personnel and equipment.
The Sudanese Army also confirmed the capture of the Tiba camp in Jebel Awliya, which is the largest RSF facility and had been one of their last strongholds in the capital.
As of Wednesday evening, there has been no official response from the RSF concerning the reported withdrawal from Khartoum.
Residents in eastern Khartoum, particularly in the neighborhoods of Al-Barari, Al-Riyad, Al-Tayef, and Al-Ma'moura, reported a complete absence of RSF presence in their areas by Wednesday morning, as RSF units also vacated the southern belt neighborhoods located south of the capital.
Following the army regaining control of the presidential palace the previous Friday, military forces have made extensive deployments to contain RSF units in civilian areas across the city.
Eyewitnesses have captured footage of hundreds of RSF soldiers evacuating Khartoum in military vehicles, although their final destination remains unspecified.
For days, the RSF has reportedly been engaged in organized withdrawals without facing significant obstruction from the Sudanese Army.
The Sudanese Army’s official channels referred to this as a mass retreat of RSF remnants, which occurred as army forces pressured them to abandon their equipment in an effort to escape.
The sudden exit of the RSF has been interpreted by observers as a consequence of their inability to hold their positions under intensified military assault, leading them to choose withdrawal over entering into potentially losing engagements.
After the army's recapture of the presidential palace, the RSF, who had previously dominated many areas of Khartoum, found themselves increasingly isolated and less impactful in altering battlefield dynamics, complicating their ability to regroup during ongoing military operations.
Prior statements from RSF leaders had indicated a strategic repositioning to undisclosed locations in response to battlefield assessments, acknowledging that many areas in Khartoum no longer held military value for retaining control.
Observers have recalled earlier assertions from army commanders, who had predicted an expedited conclusion to the conflict within days or weeks, yet the conflict has approached its third year without achieving those objectives.
Currently, the status of RSF forces in the western regions of Omdurman, the second-largest city in the Khartoum metropolitan area, remains uncertain.
The Sudanese Army has been engaged in conflict with the RSF since April 2023, stemming from disagreements over plans to integrate the RSF into the national armed forces amid a political transition to civilian rule.
Burhan stated, "Khartoum is free, and the matter has ended," as RSF troops were observed moving out of the capital towards White Nile state via the Jebel Awliya bridge.
This announcement marks Burhan's first arrival at Khartoum International Airport since the outbreak of hostilities with the RSF in April 2023.
This development follows a period of sustained military pressure from the Sudanese Army, which has been advancing steadily in recent weeks, while RSF forces have reportedly been retreating from Khartoum, encountering minimal resistance, aside from limited skirmishes.
According to RSF advisor, Ezz al-Din al-Safi, in a recent communication, the withdrawal decision was made based on specific military evaluations and had been executed days prior to Burhan's announcement.
Al-Safi emphasized that the RSF would not abandon Khartoum, indicating plans for a return.
In recent hours, the Sudanese Army successfully regained control of Khartoum International Airport, various bridges, and residential areas within the city.
Achieving control of Khartoum represents a significant victory for the Sudanese Armed Forces after nearly two years of conflict in the region.
Military spokesperson Nabil Abdullah reported on Wednesday that the army had consolidated its control over the western side of the Manshiya Bridge in central Khartoum and had cleared the Baqir area to the south.
Further updates relayed via the Sudanese Army's social media indicate ongoing operations in the vicinity of the First Mechanized Infantry Division's headquarters in Baqir, with reports of significant losses incurred by the RSF in personnel and equipment.
The Sudanese Army also confirmed the capture of the Tiba camp in Jebel Awliya, which is the largest RSF facility and had been one of their last strongholds in the capital.
As of Wednesday evening, there has been no official response from the RSF concerning the reported withdrawal from Khartoum.
Residents in eastern Khartoum, particularly in the neighborhoods of Al-Barari, Al-Riyad, Al-Tayef, and Al-Ma'moura, reported a complete absence of RSF presence in their areas by Wednesday morning, as RSF units also vacated the southern belt neighborhoods located south of the capital.
Following the army regaining control of the presidential palace the previous Friday, military forces have made extensive deployments to contain RSF units in civilian areas across the city.
Eyewitnesses have captured footage of hundreds of RSF soldiers evacuating Khartoum in military vehicles, although their final destination remains unspecified.
For days, the RSF has reportedly been engaged in organized withdrawals without facing significant obstruction from the Sudanese Army.
The Sudanese Army’s official channels referred to this as a mass retreat of RSF remnants, which occurred as army forces pressured them to abandon their equipment in an effort to escape.
The sudden exit of the RSF has been interpreted by observers as a consequence of their inability to hold their positions under intensified military assault, leading them to choose withdrawal over entering into potentially losing engagements.
After the army's recapture of the presidential palace, the RSF, who had previously dominated many areas of Khartoum, found themselves increasingly isolated and less impactful in altering battlefield dynamics, complicating their ability to regroup during ongoing military operations.
Prior statements from RSF leaders had indicated a strategic repositioning to undisclosed locations in response to battlefield assessments, acknowledging that many areas in Khartoum no longer held military value for retaining control.
Observers have recalled earlier assertions from army commanders, who had predicted an expedited conclusion to the conflict within days or weeks, yet the conflict has approached its third year without achieving those objectives.
Currently, the status of RSF forces in the western regions of Omdurman, the second-largest city in the Khartoum metropolitan area, remains uncertain.
The Sudanese Army has been engaged in conflict with the RSF since April 2023, stemming from disagreements over plans to integrate the RSF into the national armed forces amid a political transition to civilian rule.
