The Sudanese army has regained control of key areas of the capital, Khartoum, from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary faction seeking to overthrow the overthrow the UN-recognised government.
On Friday, jubilant army soldiers took photos of themselves in front of the battle-scarred entrance to the presidential palace in the heart of the city.
Fighting in Sudan broke out in April 2023, when the RSF launched attacks on Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) bases throughout Sudan, capturing significant territory, including key parts of the capital city and its airport.
Tens of thousands of people have died in the conflict, millions have been forced from their homes and many have been left facing famine in what the UN has described as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.
BBC Verify has been analysing videos and images posted during the conflict, frequently by fighters on both sides, to build a picture of the army’s push to take back control of Khartoum.
The city is bounded by two great rivers, the Blue and White Nile, and the army’s fight to regain control has been defined by these geographical constraints.
[BBC]
The offensive to retake the capital began in earnest on 26 September when the army launched air strikes against RSF-held areas in Khartoum.
Then in January, the beginning of the dry season saw fresh pushes by the army – bolstered by a new alliance with Islamists and ethnic militias – leading to a string of strategic victories.
We’ve identified video and photographs from key moments in the retaking of the city.
25 January – Breaking out of siege
The army headquarters in central Khartoum had been encircled by RSF forces for 21 months, trapping soldiers unable to link up with other army units closing in on the city.
Then in late January, following military advances further north, the army was able to send reinforcements to break through RSF lines and end the siege.
Verified social media footage posted on 25 January shows soldiers celebrating in the grounds of the army HQ.
Soldiers celebrate at the army HQ [BBC]
The following day, the army chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, visited the army HQ saying his forces would “eradicate” the RSF and pursue them to the corners of the country.
5-6 February – Blocking RSF escape route
Many RSF fighters attempted to withdraw across the White Nile River to safer areas on the western side as pressure mounted on their positions.
They found their escape route blocked following a reported air strike by the SAF on the main bridge across the river.
Footage posted on 6 February shows this crossing point at Jebel Awliya dam about 40 km south of Khartoum, blocked by badly damaged vehicles, with black smoke visible in the distance.
Satellite imagery from 5 February shows black smoke rising at the same location, indicating that the SAF attack itself occured at least a day earlier.
Burnt vehicles on the bridge across the Jebel Awliya dam [BBC]
BBC Verify has been able to confirm the location of this footage using satellite imagery which also shows black smoke rising at that location on the bridge.
3 March – Taking control of a key bridge
Army forces approaching Khartoum attempted to take control of the Manshiya Bridge, the last major crossing under RSF control.
On 3 March, the SAF posted drone footage from the battle for control of the bridge.
In it we can see the army targeting RSF vehicles and fighters trying to flee. A truck, carrying some men, and others running alongside, can be seen going up in flames as it is hit on the bridge.
RSF vehicles targeted on the Manshiya bridge [BBC]
Further drone footage shows more than a dozen men scampering through shrubs towards the bridge.
In the following days the army was able to hold its position at the bridge and to close in on the remaining RSF fighters trapped in the area.
16 March – Closing in on central Khartoum
BBC Verify has identified dramatic footage, posted on 16 March, of what appears to be an RSF fighter caught in an army ambush as they flee the SAF advance towards the city centre.
Along a tarmac street, a speeding motorcycle comes under a hail of bullets and suddenly flips over throwing off its rider.
The men firing – identifiable as belonging to the army from their uniform and yellow headbands – can be heard in the footage congratulating themselves following the attack.
An ambush on RSF fighters [BBC]
By matching the buildings and the trees we see in the videos to satellite imagery, we have established the incident took place at a location about 2 km (1.2 miles) south of the presidential palace.
20 March – Taking the presidential palace
We’ve identified video of the army striking a convoy of vehicles travelling along al-Qasr Avenue, moving away from the presidential palace, posted online early on the morning of 20 March.
The footage shows a huge fire erupting, with multiple explosions and projectiles emerging from within the fire, suggesting the detonation of munitions being carried on the vehicles.
The video is accompanied by voices, speaking in Arabic, describing the attack on the RSF convoy vehicles containing weaponry.
Fires erupt after an attack on an RSF convoy [BBC]
We have managed to establish the location from two buildings seen in the footage which match buildings we see on Google Maps at a junction just over 1km from the presidential palace.
Just a few hours later, jubilant Sudan army soldiers posed for pictures in front of the palace building, their arms raised in victory.
The RSF still hold control over significant parts of the city as well as large areas of western Sudan. But the taking of the palace by the army is hugely symbolic moment in the conflict.
Additional reporting by Kumar Malhotra, Richard Irvine-Brown, Benedict Garman and Matt Murphy
[BBC]
