Sudan’s Army Launches Offensive to Regain Control in the Capital, Reports Reuters

By Khalid Abdelaziz

DUBAI (Reuters) – Sudan’s army conducted a significant operation in its capital on Thursday, launching artillery and airstrikes in its most extensive effort to reclaim territory since the conflict with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) began 17 months ago, according to witnesses and military sources.

This offensive follows the army’s loss of control over much of the capital at the onset of the conflict. The operation coincided with an address by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the army commander, at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

During his speech, Burhan stated that any possible peace initiatives depended on the RSF’s decision to surrender their weapons. He claimed that undisclosed countries were providing the RSF with personnel, funding, and weaponry, but asserted that the army would "proceed to defeat and dislodge these aggressors, regardless of the assistance they may receive."

In the capital, witnesses reported intense shelling and clashes as army troops attempted to cross bridges connecting Khartoum, Omdurman, and Bahri. A resident of Bahri, Ahmed Abdalla, described heavy bombardments, particularly in the Halfaya and Shambat areas, noting the loud sounds of explosions.

Footage shared from the scene showed black smoke billowing over the capital, with the sounds of warfare audible in the background. Army sources indicated that their forces had successfully crossed bridges in Khartoum and Bahri. However, the RSF countered that it had thwarted the army’s attempts to cross two bridges into Khartoum. Independent verification of these claims was not possible.

While the army has managed to regain some ground in Omdurman earlier this year, it largely relies on artillery and airpower, struggling to dislodge the agile RSF forces that remain entrenched in various areas of the capital.

CONCERNS IN DARFUR

Meanwhile, the RSF has continued to advance in other regions of Sudan in recent months. The conflict has displaced over 10 million people, causing extreme hunger and famine in certain areas, and has drawn in foreign powers that have provided support to both sides.

Diplomatic efforts, particularly those led by the United States, have stalled, especially after the army opted not to attend talks in Switzerland last month.

RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, in a speech aimed at the U.N. General Assembly released shortly after Burhan’s address, reiterated that his forces were open to a nationwide ceasefire allowing for humanitarian aid deliveries. However, on the ground, the RSF has intensified its offensives, particularly around al-Fashir, the capital of North Darfur state, which is seen as a last stronghold for the army and its former allies.

Humanitarian organizations have reported that the RSF and its allies have conducted ethnically charged attacks in the Darfur region, where the situation is dire. Although the RSF denies involvement in such violence, the U.N. human rights office reported on Thursday various abuses, including summary executions, gender-based violence, and abductions in al-Fashir, while civilian casualties continue to rise.

Volker Turk, the U.N. Human Rights Chief, expressed concern that if al-Fashir falls, it could lead to an increase in targeted ethnic violations and abuses, including summary executions and sexual violence by the RSF and allied militias. The U.N. Security Council and its secretary-general have called for an end to the siege on al-Fashir, which is home to over 1.8 million residents and displaced individuals.

The ongoing conflict began when tensions between the RSF and the army escalated, following their previous shared governance after a coup in 2021 that ousted long-time leader Omar al-Bashir, two years after widespread protests led to his downfall.