The Sudanese army has successfully reclaimed the presidential palace in Khartoum from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), marking a significant milestone in the ongoing civil war. Social media footage showed soldiers entering the largely damaged palace, celebrating their victory with gunfire and chanting. The army’s spokesperson, Nabil Abdallah, confirmed the recapture on state television, stating that the military had taken control of key government buildings in central Khartoum and destroyed enemy fighters and equipment.

The RSF, which had controlled much of the capital and western Sudan since the war began nearly two years ago, has not yet commented on the loss. Reclaiming the palace represents a major victory for the Sudanese Armed Forces and a pivotal moment in the conflict. Despite recent gains in central Sudan, the war continues, with ongoing clashes and drone strikes near significant sites like the Republican Palace.

Sudan’s army had faced heavy opposition from the RSF, which initially overtook much of Khartoum, forcing the army’s leadership to relocate to Port Sudan on the Red Sea coast. In recent months, however, the army has steadily regained ground, pushing RSF forces out of the capital. Khaled al-Aiser, Sudan’s information minister, confirmed the military’s success in recapturing the palace, posting on social media, "Today the flag is raised, the palace is back."

Though the army has made notable advances in Khartoum, the war is far from over. The RSF maintains strong control over Sudan’s western Darfur region, where it continues to establish its parallel government. Fighting also persists in northern cities, with reports of the RSF claiming control of Al-Maliha, a strategic city near the borders of Chad and Libya. While Sudan’s military acknowledges ongoing clashes, it has not confirmed losing Al-Maliha.

The conflict has devastated the country, creating what the UN calls the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. The war has caused tens of thousands of deaths and displaced millions. As famine spreads, some civilians are resorting to eating grass to survive. The military and RSF continue to face accusations of widespread human rights abuses, with the US State Department having declared the RSF’s actions as genocide prior to the end of the Biden administration, though both groups deny the allegations.

Sudan's instability began with the 2019 removal of autocratic leader Omar al-Bashir, followed by a failed transition to democracy. In 2021, a military coup led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo set the stage for the war that has raged since 2023, further destabilizing the region.