Plumes of smoke rise during clashes between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and the army in Khartoum, Sudan, on Sept. 26, 2024.
REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo
Sudan’s Armed Forces may be headed for a milestone after nearly two years of war with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, or RSF. General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan’s forces appear to be closing in on Khartoum, the country’s capital, advancing to within just two kilometers of the country’s presidential palace. Last month, the army’s advance into Wad Madani, another strategically important city, broke a lengthy stalemate in the fighting, but the capture of Khartoum would give the army its strongest momentum since fighting began.
That said, the recapture of Khartoum would not end the war. It would solidify the Armed Forces’ control of the east of the country, but the RSF’s hold on the west remains strong, particularly if the army allows RSF forces to retreat unchallenged from the capital. But it’s also possible the army will try to inflict maximum destruction on RSF fighters, making the final battle for Khartoum exceptionally brutal, even by the standards of this bloody civil war.
According to the International Rescue Committee, Sudan “now represents the largest and fastest displacement crisis in the world” and “the largest humanitarian crisis on record.” More than 30 million people, over half of Sudan’s population, need humanitarian help.