CAIRO โ On Tuesday, Sudanโs military announced it had seized complete control over the Greater Khartoum area after extensive and intense confrontations against lingering elements of a paramilitary faction located in the western and southern parts of the region. This strategic win for the military marks a significant milestone in its ongoing conflict with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a bitter civil war that has dragged key areas of Sudan toward famine.
Brig. Gen. Nabil Abdullah, serving as a spokesman for the Sudanese military, proudly reported that their forces have successfully reclaimed the Greater Khartoum region, which encompasses the capital, Khartoum, as well as its adjacent cities of Omdurman and Khartoum North, also known as Bahri. โKhartoum state is completely free of rebels,โ he announced in a video statement.
Prior to this, Abdullah disclosed that military factions engaged in heavy combat with RSF fighters in the western and southern parts of Omdurman. These operations were part of a broad initiative aimed at eradicating paramilitary entrenchments in those pockets. The RSF has not yet issued any response regarding these developments.
The turmoil in Sudan escalated into a civil war on April 15, 2023, following long-standing tensions between the traditional military forces and the RSF, erupting into overt conflict not only in Khartoum but also across various parts of the country. Tragically, the conflict has claimed at least 24,000 lives, although the true figure may be much higher.
The devastating effects of the war have forced around 13 million individuals to flee their homes. Among these, approximately 4 million have sought refuge in neighboring countries. Large sections of Sudan are now enduring famine conditions.
Throughout the ongoing conflict, numerous atrocities have been reported, including widespread instances of mass rape and killings driven by ethnic motives, actions which are classified as war crimes and crimes against humanity by the U.N. and various international human rights organizations, particularly the crimes committed in Darfur.