A leader of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) acknowledged on Friday that their forces lost control of the Presidential Palace in central Khartoum to the Sudanese army, but maintained that this does not mean losing the war.
In a post on the “X” platform, Bashir Tabiq, an advisor to the RSF commander, stated, “The fall of the Republican Palace does not mean losing the war.”
Tabiq noted that the battle around the palace witnessed what he described as “heroism and sacrifices.”
He added that the RSF forces demonstrated “valor, courage, and steadfastness,” according to his statement.
Meanwhile, RSF spokesman Al-Fateh Qureshi said in a statement, “The battle around the Republican Palace is not over yet.”
Qureshi added: “Our forces are still in the vicinity of the area and are fighting bravely and with determination to liberate all sites,” as he put it.
These statements come after the Sudanese army announced earlier today that it had regained control of the Presidential Palace and neighboring ministries in central Khartoum, for the first time since the war with the RSF broke out nearly two years ago.
Khartoum, as the capital of Sudan, consists of 3 cities: Khartoum (southeast), Bahri (northeast), and Omdurman (west), connected by bridges over the Blue Nile and White Nile rivers.
With the army’s control of the Presidential Palace and surrounding ministries today, most of central Khartoum is under its control, except for the Muqrin area, the Strategic Military Battalion headquarters, and Tuti Island on the Blue Nile, while RSF forces are present in southern and eastern Khartoum.
The Sudanese army also controls the entire city of Bahri, the East Nile area, and Omdurman city, except for parts of western and southern Omdurman.
It’s worth noting that the army and RSF have been engaged in a bloody conflict since April 2023, which, according to the UN and local authorities, has resulted in the death of over 20,000 people and the displacement and refuge of about 15 million others. According to a study conducted by American universities, the death toll could reach about 130,000.
On Thursday, the army announced significant progress in central Khartoum, including control of strategic locations near the Presidential Palace.
These developments came after violent battles in the area between the two sides since Wednesday evening.
In a related context, the Ministry of Health in Khartoum State reported in a statement that RSF forces continued to shell residential neighborhoods in Omdurman using heavy weapons on Friday evening.
The statement explained that the shelling targeted civilians in areas 4 and 11 of Al-Thawra neighborhood and area 3 of Umbada, resulting in the death of a 9-year-old girl and injuring 8 others, who were transferred to the governmental Al-Nu Teaching Hospital for treatment.
In another development, the Sudan Doctors Network (a union) said in a statement that “deliberate” artillery shelling by RSF forces on citizens’ homes in Al-Ubayyid city, the capital of North Kordofan State (south), caused the death of 4 people and injured 11 others.
The statement added that the ongoing attacks on unarmed civilians “constitute a flagrant violation of international and humanitarian laws.”
No comment has been issued by the RSF regarding these events as of 17:10 GMT.
In recent weeks, the pace of RSF retreat has accelerated in several states, including Khartoum, Al Jazeera, White Nile, North Kordofan, Sennar, and Blue Nile, amid continuous advances by army forces
