Sudan’s army initiated a significant offensive in months against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the capital city of Khartoum to reclaim the territory that the paramilitary group had secured.
On Thursday, government forces conducted artillery attacks on RSF bases in Khartoum and Bahri, which are located to the north.
Witnesses reported heavy fighting and intense aerial bombardments on Thursday as army troops crossed two major bridges over the River Nile, moving from government-controlled Omdurman into RSF-held regions, according to the BBC reports.
The offensive precedes Army Chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan’s scheduled address to the UN General Assembly in New York later today. The UN has demanded urgent measures to safeguard civilians and halt the conflict.
The UN had warned on Wednesday that, “Relentless hostilities across the country have brought misery to millions of civilians, triggering the world’s fastest-growing displacement crisis.”
Since April 2023, Sudan has been embroiled in conflict because of an intense power struggle between the army and the RSF, which has led to one of the most severe humanitarian crises in the world, as described by the United Nations (UN).
In a major offensive last February, the army recaptured significant parts of Omdurman, the twin city of the capital across the river, and portions of greater Khartoum. The conflict, marked by intense fighting in densely populated areas, has seen both sides accused of indiscriminate bombing of civilian areas. The war has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths, with estimates ranging from 20,000 to 150,000, and many casualties remain unaccounted for, according to medical sources.
Frances Ibiefo
Follow us on:
