Sudanese military announces recapture of strategic buildings across central Khartoum

Sudan’s military announced on March 22 that it had seized several strategic buildings in central Khartoum from the rivalling paramilitary forces, following army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan’s pledge for “full liberation” after retaking the presidential palace this week.

Army spokesman Nabil Abdallah stated that military forces were continuing to exert pressure on the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) throughout the city centre, Caliber.Az reports citing AP News.

The army listed the reclaimed sites in the capital, which include the central bank, state intelligence headquarters, and the Sudan National Museum.

For weeks, the presidential palace and surrounding districts had been a key battleground between the military, led by al-Burhan, and the RSF, commanded by his former deputy, Mohamed Hamdan Daglo.

The latest round of clashes intensified on March 16 when Sudanese armored corps units advanced toward the military’s General Command and secured areas near the presidential palace, cutting off RSF supply lines and isolating their forces in central Khartoum from reinforcements in the southern and eastern districts.

On March 21, the army and allied armed groups recaptured the presidential palace, prompting an RSF drone strike that killed three journalists and several soldiers. Military sources reported that the RSF had used the palace to house elite troops and store ammunition.

Experts suggest that securing Khartoum’s government and financial district could strengthen the military’s position in the ongoing war. While this would be a strategic gain, it is unlikely to bring an end to the conflict.

With its recent territorial gains, the army now controls the entire left bank of the Blue Nile and has secured the main route across the White Nile, linking Khartoum’s city centre to Omdurman.

Sudan has been in turmoil since April 2023, when tensions between the military and security forces escalated into a full-scale war. The conflict has devastated Khartoum and other cities, with widespread atrocities, including mass rapes and ethnic killings, which international organizations classify as war crimes, particularly in Darfur.

By Nazrin Sadigova