Khartoum, March 21, 2025 – In a significant escalation of Sudan’s ongoing civil conflict, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) have recaptured the Presidential Palace in Khartoum, marking a pivotal moment in the two-year war that has plunged the nation into chaos. The breakthrough was reported by Sudan TV and confirmed by military sources on Friday, highlighting the army’s most substantial advance since hostilities erupted in April 2023.
According to military insiders, SAF units are now conducting extensive search operations in the vicinity of the palace, targeting remnants of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The RSF, which had swiftly seized the palace and much of the capital at the war’s outset, did not respond to requests for comment. The paramilitary group’s initial dominance in Khartoum has waned in recent months as the army has steadily regained ground, advancing along the River Nile toward the symbolic seat of power.
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The recapture of the Presidential Palace could prove to be a turning point in the conflict, potentially accelerating the army’s efforts to secure central Sudan. The war, which has claimed countless lives and displaced millions, has increasingly divided the country along territorial lines. While the SAF strengthens its grip on Khartoum, the RSF continues to hold sway over parts of the capital, neighboring Omdurman, and vast swathes of western Sudan. In Darfur, the RSF is locked in a fierce struggle to wrest control of al-Fashir, the army’s last stronghold in the region, from SAF forces.
The conflict traces its roots to a bitter power struggle between the army, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the RSF, commanded by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti), ahead of a planned transition to civilian governance in 2023. What began as a political standoff has since spiraled into a full-scale war, with both sides vowing to fight until they achieve total control of Sudan. The territorial split—broadly between the army-dominated east and the RSF-controlled west—threatens to fracture the nation permanently.
Friday’s development underscores the SAF’s recent momentum, but the path to victory remains uncertain. The RSF, which earlier this year attempted to establish a parallel government, retains significant influence and resources. Meanwhile, efforts to broker peace have stalled, with no meaningful negotiations on the horizon. Analysts warn that the fall of the Presidential Palace could embolden the army to press its advantage, potentially deepening the humanitarian crisis that has gripped Sudan since the war began.
As fighting intensifies, the international community continues to watch with growing alarm. The recapture of the palace may shift the balance of power in Khartoum, but with both sides entrenched and unwilling to compromise, Sudan’s future hangs in the balance. For now, the sounds of gunfire and the sight of military operations near the palace serve as a grim reminder of a nation divided—and a conflict far from resolution.
Key Points:
- Recapture of Presidential Palace: On March 21, 2025, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) regained full control of the Presidential Palace in Khartoum, a major development in the two-year civil war, as reported by Sudan TV and military sources.
- Military Operations: The SAF is conducting search operations around the palace to pursue members of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the paramilitary group that initially seized the palace and most of the capital in April 2023.
- Shifting Control: The army has made significant gains in recent months, advancing toward the palace along the River Nile, while the RSF still controls parts of Khartoum, Omdurman, and western Sudan, including a push for al-Fashir in Darfur.
- Strategic Importance: Capturing the palace could accelerate the army’s dominance in central Sudan, potentially solidifying an east-west territorial divide between the SAF and RSF.
- Ongoing Conflict: The war, sparked by a power struggle between the SAF and RSF ahead of a planned civilian transition in 2023, shows no signs of abating, with both sides committed to continued fighting and no peace talks in progress.
- Humanitarian Concerns: The intensified conflict threatens to worsen Sudan’s already dire humanitarian crisis, with the nation increasingly fractured and millions displaced.
