The Sudanese army has launched a significant offensive against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the capital city of Khartoum, marking one of the most substantial military operations since the civil war began in April 2023. The offensive, which began in the early hours of Wednesday, included artillery and airstrikes targeting areas controlled by the RSF in the center, west, and south of the city. Witnesses report this as the largest military effort by the Sudanese army to regain control of the capital, which it lost to the RSF at the onset of the conflict.
Clashes erupted around 2:00 AM on Wednesday near the strategic “Al-Istritagia” site in western Khartoum, with Sudanese government forces reportedly crossing several bridges toward the city. According to reports from the Sudan Tribune, plumes of smoke were seen rising in areas such as the vicinity of the Armored Corps south of Khartoum and the army’s General Command headquarters. The Sudanese military deployed extensive airpower over Omdurman, conducting airstrikes on RSF positions, including the “Al-Istritagia” headquarters, which the RSF had seized in June.
Residents reported that artillery and airstrikes continued into Thursday, with government forces targeting RSF strongholds in Khartoum and the neighboring city of Bahri to the north. According to Reuters, the army crossed key bridges over the River Nile, which had served as a dividing line between army-controlled areas in Omdurman and RSF-controlled regions. Although the RSF claimed to have repelled the army’s advances, reports of clashes and smoke rising from central Khartoum suggest ongoing conflict in these contested areas.
The offensive comes amid one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises, triggered by the 17-month-long conflict between the Sudanese army and the RSF. The United Nations estimates that up to 150,000 people have been killed in the war, with over 10 million displaced—about a fifth of Sudan’s population. Many have sought refuge in neighboring countries, while half of the displaced are children. The UN describes the situation as the “world’s fastest-growing displacement crisis” and has warned of potential famine, as ongoing violence has prevented crop cultivation.
The conflict has fueled fears of ethnic violence, with warnings of a possible genocide against non-Arabs in the Darfur region. A cholera epidemic has also surged amid the chaos, with over 430 people dying in the past month, according to Sudan’s health ministry. The conflict has severely complicated efforts to deliver medical treatment and humanitarian aid to those in need.