Sudan’s army retakes presidential palace, triggering mixed reactions
March 21, 2025 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese army’s announcement on Friday that it had retaken the presidential palace in Khartoum from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) drew mixed reactions, ranging from government praise to calls for political reform.
For many Sudanese, the presidential palace, overlooking the Blue Nile, symbolizes the country’s sovereignty, which has been challenged by a bloody conflict nearing its second year.
Sudan’s Foreign Ministry, in a statement, hailed the recapture of the palace as “another nail in the coffin of the external conspiracy against Sudan’s sovereignty, stability, unity, and the pride and dignity of its people.” The ministry said the victory was achieved by the “bravery” of fighters, whose resolve to pursue and defeat the aggressors had not wavered since the RSF, and its regional backer – an apparent reference to the United Arab Emirates – launched the war against the state and people on April 15, 2023.
It described retaking the Republican Palace and headquarters of key ministries as “one of the greatest epics of heroism and bravery, where the army and supporting forces broke the power of the Rapid Support Forces.”
Sovereignty ‘non-negotiable’
The General Intelligence Service described the palace recapture as a culmination of the steadfastness and faith of the army’s leadership, supporting forces, and the Sudanese people. It stressed that the victory confirmed that Sudan could not be defeated and that its sovereignty was “non-negotiable.”
“Today, the banner of truth has been raised, the power of falsehood has been broken, and the deception of rebellion and betrayal has been revealed so that the nation’s flag flies high with the sacrifices of the righteous martyrs and the resolve of the brave heroes,” it added.
Darfur Governor Minni Arko Minawi congratulated the army leadership, joint forces, and the Sudanese people on the “liberation of the palace, the symbol of national sovereignty.” Minnawi, who leads an armed group fighting alongside the army, praised the sacrifices made by forces in Al-Maliha, North Darfur, saying they had confronted the RSF for 48 hours.
The army said it had regained control of Al-Maliha one day after the RSF claimed to have captured the town, which houses the largest concentration of armed forces in the Darfur region after El Fasher.
Calls for political reform
The head of the SPLM-Revolutionary Democratic Current, Yasir Arman, cautioned against underestimating the military achievement but stressed the need for a political, not just military, solution. He said that by retaking the palace, the armed forces had fought one of their most important battles since their establishment a century ago. However, he added, reaching the palace raised political questions about the country’s future.
“Entering the palace is a military achievement that raises an important political question: Did they enter through the gate of June 30, 1989, which deepens the political crisis and sets a broad title for the continuation of wars?” he asked. June 30, 1989, is the date of the coup that brought former President Omar al-Bashir to power.
Arman urged that the military importance of retaking the palace not be overlooked but stressed the need for a political entry “through the gateway of a new renaissance program that provides a historical compromise that resolves the issues of national building, foremost of which are freedom, peace, justice, and citizenship.”
“Entering the palace is a new opportunity for the army leadership to listen to the people, who have the first and last word in building a new future,” including building unified, professional, and non-politicized armed forces, he said.
Most state governors and ministers congratulated the army and the people on the recapture of the presidential palace, which consists of two buildings, one built during the colonial era and the other during al-Bashir’s rule. Al-Bashir was ousted on April 11, 2019.
The U.S. State Department, in a comment on the palace’s recapture published by Al-Hadath television, said it was monitoring the situation. The world “must be monitoring what is happening on the ground, and it appears to be a significant event, and we are monitoring it,” it said.