Sudan Army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan claims that Khartoum now “free” from RSF forces

The Sudanese military has declared full control over Khartoum after intense battles with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), marking a significant shift in the ongoing conflict.

Military spokesperson Nabil Abdullah announced on Thursday that the army had eliminated the last RSF strongholds in the capital, calling the group a “terrorist militia.”

The declaration followed army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan’s statement that Khartoum was now “free” from RSF forces.

After nearly two years of RSF dominance in the capital, the army’s counteroffensive has steadily regained territory, culminating in the capture of Jebel Awliya—a key southern district that had been a crucial RSF escape route toward Darfur.

Despite losing ground, the RSF remains defiant, asserting that its forces have merely repositioned and vowing to continue the fight.

The group has also announced a military alliance with the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North, a rebel faction in South Kordofan and Blue Nile state.

Meanwhile, clashes continue in the Blue Nile region, where RSF and its allies launched drone strikes on key infrastructure. The Sudanese army claims its air defenses intercepted the attacks.

The war, which has displaced over 12 million people and caused a humanitarian crisis of unprecedented scale, has left Sudan divided— with the army controlling the north and east, while the RSF dominates parts of the south and Darfur.