Sudanese military forces recaptured the presidential palace early Friday in the battle-scarred capital, Khartoum, signaling a potential turning point in Sudan’s devastating civil war, now approaching its third year.
Soldiers posted triumphant selfie videos at the entrance of the devastated palace, which overlooks the Nile River, after days of heavy fighting with the Rapid Support Forces, or R.S.F., the powerful paramilitary group that the army is battling for control of Sudan.
“We’re inside!” shouted an unidentified officer as cheering soldiers swarmed around him in one video posted Friday morning. “We’re in the Republican Palace!”
bet10Still, the R.S.F. fought back for the rest of the day on Friday, firing missiles from armed drones that hovered over the palace compound, Sudanese military officials said. One of them struck a crew from Sudan’s state television station, killing two journalists and a driver.
Two officers from the military’s media wing, including its top official in Khartoum, were also killed in the attack outside the palace.
VideoThe Battle for Sudan’s CapitalNile
River
OMDURMAN
NORTH
KHARTOUM
Sudanese Armed
Forces (S.A.F.)
control as
of March 19
Presidential
palace
KHARTOUM
Rapid Support
Bursts of extreme rainfall are making both coastal and riverine flooding more dangerous and unpredictable.
Forces (R.S.F.)
White Nile
River
SUDAN
Khartoum
66jogoNile
River
OMDURMAN
NORTH
KHARTOUM
Sudanese Armed
Forces (S.A.F.)
control as of
March 19
Presidential
palace
KHARTOUM
White Nile
River
Rapid Support
Forces (R.S.F.)
SUDAN
Khartoum
Note: Areas of control are as of March 19.
Source: Thomas van Linge
We are having trouble retrieving the article content.
Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.
Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.
Thank you for your patience while we verify access.
Already a subscriber? Log in.
Want all of The Times? Subscribe.igcpg