Khartoum, March 21, (V7N) — Sudan's army has seized back control of the presidential palace in Khartoum from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), marking a major breakthrough in the nearly two-year-long conflict.

"Our forces completely destroyed the enemy's fighters and equipment, and seized large quantities of weapons," army spokesman Nabil Abdallah said in a televised statement. He vowed to continue advancing on all fronts until Sudan is purged of the militia and its supporters.

The presidential palace, once a symbol of Sudan’s state power, had been under RSF control since the conflict erupted in April 2023, forcing the army-aligned government to relocate to Port Sudan.

Videos posted by soldiers on social media appeared to show them inside the palace, celebrating the victory, though AFP could not immediately verify the footage.

Control of the presidential palace represents a huge setback for the RSF, which had stationed elite fighters and stored critical ammunition there, military sources said.

"The RSF has lost its most elite forces," a military expert told AFP, speaking anonymously. "The army's control of central Khartoum marks a turning point in the war."

The army has been steadily regaining territory in recent months. In January, it broke an RSF siege of the General Command headquarters, allowing troops to merge and surround the RSF in downtown Khartoum.

Sudan’s war has already killed tens of thousands, displaced over 12 million, and triggered one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. The battle for Khartoum signals further escalation, as both sides continue to fight for dominance in the war-torn country.

END/WD/RH/