The Sudanese army retook the Republican Palace in Khartoum after 72 hours of intense fighting, with tanks now patrolling the area, but the RSF continued to attack with drones, resulting in casualties, including media personnel.
Despite losing the palace, the RSF claimed the battle was ongoing, and military operations are now focused on clearing RSF forces from nearby areas in Khartoum.
The UN has called for stronger protections for civilians amid increasing violence, including summary killings and looting by both the RSF and army, with many fearing retaliation or being wrongly accused of collaboration.
Soldiers from Sudan's national army could be seen waving from the grand, shattered doors and windows of Sudan's Republican Palace Friday morning. After 72 hours of nonstop battles,
Sudanese forces managed to link up the armoured corps in the far south of Khartoum with the General Command in the centre of the capital to seize the palace. Tanks now patrol the perimeter of the palace.
In an official statement, Sudanese army spokesman Brigadier General Nabil Abdullah announced that the armed forces had retaken the Republican Palace and intended to move toward complete control of the Sudanese capital.
Shortly after the palace fell, however, the building was targeted by RSF drones, with several people killed or injured, Al Jazeera reported. Sudan's minister of culture, Khalid Ali, said in a statement that among those killed were a producer, cameraman, and driver for Sudanese state television.
In a statement on Telegram on Friday morning, the RSF claimed that the battle for the palace was "not over yet", adding that its "valiant forces are still present in the vicinity" and would "continue the fight".
The area surrounding the Republican Palace was transformed into a field of destroyed vehicles, as the Sudanese army focused its attention on modern Turkish drones to launch airstrikes on the RSF, who had entrenched themselves inside the palace.
A field military source told Ayin that the armed forces and allied military groups deployed around the palace and took full control of the building. Operations will continue until the presence of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are cleared from Souk Arabi ("Arab Market") and the Al-Mograin area of Khartoum, the source added.
What's next
Military expert Hassan Idris believes military operations will shift to western Omdurman and southern and eastern Khartoum, with the allied Sudan Shield Forces advancing from southern Khartoum as the armoured corps open up the Kalagla area of Omdurman. "During March and April, the Rapid Support Forces will not be able to hold out in the Sudanese capital unless they launch modern drones to carry out airstrikes," he added.
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Sudan's army, Idris says, was in a far better position to engage with the RSF in the capital than in the past, thanks largely to a more formidable infantry and modern military equipment. "What distinguishes the armed forces' position this time is that they possess at least 30,000 infantry soldiers," Idris told Ayin. "In addition to modern drones and heavy combat vehicles."
Civilians in the crosshairs
The UN has called for greater steps to protect civilians following reports of dozens of deaths in bombardment by both the RSF and SAF in eastern Khartoum and north Omdurman over the last week. It said credible reports suggested the RSF and allied militia had "raided homes in eastern Khartoum, carried out summary killings and arbitrary detentions, and looted food and medical supplies from community kitchens and medical clinics." The UN added that the army and affiliates had also "engaged in looting and other criminal activities in areas they controlled in Khartoum North and East Nile."
Volunteers at an Emergency Response Room in southern Khartoum told Ayin that they fear increased attacks from a desperate RSF and, worse, targeting by the army under false accusations of collaborating with the Rapid Support Forces. "Civilians fear what might happen to them and worry about a similar fate," one said. "Most youth have ceased to participate in volunteering. They're afraid."
