Sudan’s Army Chief, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, officially declared Khartoum state “liberated” from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on Wednesday, marking a pivotal moment in the ongoing conflict. This declaration came shortly after Burhan’s first visit to Khartoum International Airport in two years.
In the early hours of Wednesday, Sudanese forces launched a large-scale military offensive across Khartoum, retaking key military and civilian locations. This offensive marked a significant expansion of army control as RSF elements began fleeing most areas they had occupied, retreating westward. Army drone footage captured the RSF’s departure, documenting a traffic jam of RSF vehicles and soldiers at the Jebel Aulia bridge south of the capital.
As Sudanese troops entered neighborhoods once controlled by the RSF, residents in areas like Sahafa, Kalakla, and Gereif celebrated their arrival, chanting in support of the army.
Army spokesperson Nabil Abdallah confirmed that General Burhan visited both the Khartoum International Airport and the Republican Palace, marking his first visit to these locations since the war began in April 2023. The army successfully recaptured the airport and other key sites on Wednesday, following RSF’s initial occupation of the airport on the war’s first day.
At the Republican Palace, Burhan expressed confidence in the army’s victory, stating, “Khartoum is free, its matter is finished,” as reported by Al Jazeera.
The recapture of the Presidential Palace and central Khartoum on March 21 had been a significant victory for the Sudanese army after days of intense combat against the RSF.