Sudanese military announces capital ‘free’

(MENAFN) The leader of Sudan's military, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has declared Khartoum "free" after his forces regained control of the capital's international airport from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The announcement was made on Wednesday from the presidential palace, which the army had reclaimed from RSF fighters just days before. This marks the first time al-Burhan has visited the palace since the conflict between the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) began nearly two years ago.

The army shared a video of al-Burhan arriving at Khartoum Airport, noting that it was the first flight to land there since the war erupted in mid-April 2023. Following the recapture of key areas, the army chief toured both Khartoum Airport and the Republican Palace.

The fighting between the RSF and SAF began over a dispute regarding the country’s transition to civilian governance, leading to a devastating conflict that has claimed tens of thousands of lives and triggered the largest displacement crisis in the world. The United Nations has warned of widespread food insecurity affecting half the Sudanese population.

Earlier in the day, the Sudanese army and its allies launched a major ground offensive in Khartoum, seizing both military and civilian sites previously held by the RSF. The SAF also released drone footage showing alleged RSF members fleeing toward the west of the country.

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