Sudan Army Hits Huge Milestone with Presidential Palace Recapture
Despite this significant military victory against RSF paramilitaries, the path to peace remains uncertain in a devastating civil war.
An image grab taken from a video released by the Saudi news network Al-Arabiya on March 21, 2025, shows Sudanese army soldiers posing for a picture in the presidential palace in Khartoum.
Sudan's Armed Forces (SAF) have reclaimed the presidential palace in Khartoum, marking a significant milestone in the nearly two-year civil war against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). This advance is part of the army's recent momentum, pushing RSF fighters from previously controlled territories.
Social media videos show jubilant soldiers celebrating throughout the palace on Friday, a once-grand symbol of power now reduced to ruins. Despite the destruction, troops displayed visible elation as they moved through the complex with assault rifles and grenade launchers, chanting victoriously.
This recapture strengthens the SAF's position in Sudan's center, though fighting is expected to continue as the RSF maintains control over large portions of the country, particularly the western Darfur region.
For Khartoum residents, the SAF's advance may provide some relief from the RSF, which stands accused of grave human rights violations and widespread looting of civilians fighting to stay alive amidst a deadly war. The SAF has also faced accusations of atrocities, though reportedly to a lesser degree, which means many in Sudan are dealing with a dilemma.
The conflict erupted after years of civilian dissatisfaction with the military government led by army chief Abdel Fattah Al Burhan. He and RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo—now enemies—previously collaborated in a coup that derailed Sudan's democratic transition. A bitter disagreement between the pair led to the ongoing civil war that has claimed over 150,000 lives, displaced millions of Sudanese, and is responsible for the world's worst humanitarian crisis, per the UN.
"Our forces completely destroyed the enemy's fighters and equipment and seized large quantities of equipment and weapons," army spokesperson Nabil Abdallah said on state television.
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