Witnesses and military sources reported that the Sudanese army launched a significant artillery and air offensive in the capital, Khartoum, on Thursday. This marks the largest operation by the army to reclaim territory in the region since the conflict with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) began 17 months ago.
The offensive comes as the armed forces, which lost control of most of the capital at the start of the conflict, prepare for a speech by their leader, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, at the United Nations General Assembly in New York later today.
According to witnesses, intense shelling and clashes erupted as army forces attempted to cross bridges over the Nile that connect the three neighboring cities of Khartoum, Omdurman, and Bahri, which together form the Greater Khartoum area.
While the army regained some ground in Omdurman earlier this year, it has largely relied on artillery and airstrikes and has struggled to dislodge the RSF from other parts of the capital.
Meanwhile, the RSF has continued to make advances in other parts of Sudan over the past few months, exacerbating a humanitarian crisis that has displaced over 10 million people and driven several areas of the country into severe hunger or famine.
Diplomatic efforts, including those led by the United States and other powers, have faltered, with the army refusing to attend scheduled talks in Switzerland last month.
