Sudanese army launches major offensive against RSF in Khartoum

September 26, 2024 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese army launched a major offensive against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the capital Khartoum on Wednesday, targeting several areas controlled by the paramilitary group in the centre, west, and south of the city.

Clashes erupted around 2:00 AM near the strategic “Al-Istritagia” site close to the Al-Muqrin area in western Khartoum. Government forces were reported to have crossed several bridges towards Khartoum, and smoke plumes were seen rising from the vicinity of the Armored Corps south of Khartoum.

The Sudanese army’s warplanes flew extensively over Omdurman, coinciding with reports of airstrikes targeting the “Al-Istritagia” headquarters in Al-Muqrin, Khartoum, which the RSF seized from the army in June.

Local sources told Sudan Tribune that the sounds of clashes and smoke plumes were observed in central Khartoum at the Arab Market, the army’s General Command headquarters, and near the army’s Signal Corps south of Khartoum Bahri.

Smoke was also reported rising from the Al-Muhandisin area, under the army’s control in Omdurman.

Sudan Tribune’s correspondent reported hearing clashes and gunfire between the army from northern Omdurman and the Rapid Support Forces from northern Khartoum Bahri. The army shelled Rapid Support Forces positions in Khartoum Bahri with heavy artillery from northern Omdurman, and smoke rose from the Al-Azariqab and Halfaya areas in northern Khartoum Bahri, coinciding with the army’s artillery shelling.

WhatsApp and Telegram groups affiliated with the Sudanese army reported that its forces launched a ground attack on Singa, the capital of Sennar state, which is controlled by the RSF, and conducted airstrikes on Al-Damazin, the capital of East Darfur state, considered a stronghold of the RSF.

General Yasir Al-Atta, the assistant commander-in-chief of the Sudanese army, had previously spoken about a comprehensive attack on all theatres of operations, by air and land, to destroy the RSF and its allied forces.

The advisor to the RSF commander, Elbasha Tbaeq, said in a statement on X that their forces repelled the Sudanese army’s attempts to cross the Halfaya Bridge towards Bahri and the Iron and Fatih Bridges towards Khartoum. He also mentioned the movement of their forces from the Armored Corps in the Al-Shajara area south of Khartoum.

Tbaeq indicated that the RSF has mobile forces in the desert north of El Fasher affiliated with Minni Minawi and Gibril Ibrahim movements. The joint forces had previously released videos showing hundreds of vehicles loaded with soldiers and equipment, stating they had arrived in El Fasher.