The Sudanese army is moving closer to reclaiming the presidential palace in central Khartoum, which has been under the control of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since April 2023.
The army is advancing from several directions, while its forces took back the town of Umm Ruwaba, the second-largest city in North Kordofan state.
The army also reported defeating an RSF attack on Umm Ruwaba on Wednesday, causing significant losses, and stated that its air force is chasing down retreating RSF fighters.
The army has been intensifying its attacks on RSF-held areas in recent days, making quick gains.
Witnesses in Khartoum say Sudanese army troops, advancing from the General Command headquarters, are engaged in fierce clashes with the RSF and moving toward the presidential palace, about two kilometers away.
Sources predict the army could soon reclaim the palace if its progress continues at this pace.
The army has also entered the Al-Azba district in Bahri, retaking the Dardoug and Nibta neighborhoods. It is nearing the Al-Shuqla area in East Nile, Bahri, and has made gains in the Umm Badda area of Omdurman.
The army and RSF continue to control overlapping areas in Khartoum, Omdurman, and Bahri.
On Wednesday, the army said it took control of a strategic bridge in Bahri and is advancing toward the city center. However, RSF forces still control several districts, including Kafouri, Kober, East Nile, and Soba, with some resistance in other areas.
In Khartoum city, the army regained control of the Rmaila, Al-Hilla Al-Jadida, and parts of Jabra neighborhoods.
The RSF holds areas east of the army’s General Command headquarters, Khartoum International Airport, and districts like Al-Sahafa, Khartoum 2, and Al-Durrah Extension, among others.
RSF forces also control southern Khartoum, including the central market and neighborhoods such as Al-Salmah, Soba, and Mayo, extending to the eastern Jabal Awlia area.
In Omdurman, the army has retaken much of the city, except for its southern and western parts. Some neighborhoods, including the Popular Market and Al-Shuqla, remain under RSF control.
