The Sudanese army has advanced to within 500 meters of the presidential palace amid intensified conflict with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The battles have resulted in significant humanitarian crises, with millions displaced and facing severe food insecurity. The struggle for power between military leaders has created a dire situation across the country, especially in regions like North Darfur.
On Thursday, the Sudanese army advanced to within 500 meters of the presidential palace, which has been under the control of rival paramilitaries for almost two years. Journalists in the area reported explosions and gunfire throughout Khartoum, reflecting escalating conflict between the army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The army’s recent operations involved destroying a convoy of 30 RSF vehicles attempting to retreat southward.
This military push is part of a broader campaign to regain control over Khartoum, which the army lost to the RSF during the onset of the conflict that began in April 2023. Such maneuvers have intensified with army troops converging in the city center from the south and exerting pressure on RSF forces. This power struggle between army commander Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Daglo has resulted in tens of thousands of fatalities and displaced over 12 million individuals throughout the country.
Presently, the army has reclaimed significant areas in Khartoum, including Khartoum North and the East Nile district, while the RSF maintains multiple strongholds in both Khartoum and Omdurman. Violence has also surged in El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, where the RSF has been besieging the city since May, aiming for total control over the region. Despite resistance from the army and allied militias, local reports indicate that the RSF has targeted nearby displacement camps, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.
In total, the UN has projected that around two million people across Sudan are confronting severe food insecurity, with famine conditions affecting 320,000 already. In North Darfur, nearly 1.7 million have been displaced, while Darfur governor Minni Minnawi highlighted ongoing intense clashes between army forces and the RSF near Malha, located 210 kilometers north of El-Fasher.
The ongoing struggle in Sudan highlights the alarming humanitarian crisis and the severe ramifications of the power struggle between military factions. As the army continues its offensive to reclaim territory, the dire situation for civilians, marked by widespread displacement and food insecurity, remains precarious, indicating a critical need for humanitarian intervention and international attention.
Original Source: www.dawn.com
