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Sudan’s military leader, Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has visited the presidential palace in the capital, Khartoum, after landing at the city’s international airport, just hours after it was recaptured by the army.<\/p>\n
Surrounded by cheering soldiers at the venue – a significant symbol of absolute power and sovereignty – Burhan declared: “Khartoum is free”.<\/p>\n
Earlier, an army commander told the BBC that his troops had fully secured the airport and might be able to clear the rest of the RSF fighters by the end of day.<\/p>\n
The army has been moving swiftly since recapturing the presidential palace on Friday and seizing state institutions taken by the RSF.<\/p>\n
The RSF had controlled most of Khartoum since the war began in April 2023. Nationwide, hundreds of thousands have been killed, and millions have been forced to flee their homes.<\/p>\n
An army spokesperson also told the BBC that troops had seized Manshiya Bridge, the last RSF-held bridge, along with a military camp in Jebel Awliya, the group’s stronghold in southern Khartoum.<\/p>\n
He said the army had now recaptured all the bridges across the River Nile that connect the three cities which make up Greater Khartoum.<\/p>\n
Residents have been reporting this week that RSF fighters were retreating southwards, apparently towards Jebel Awliya, the only place they could still cross out of the area.<\/p>\n
Videos posted on social media appeared to show some people in central Khartoum celebrating the army’s advance after what many have described as a brutal RSF occupation.<\/p>\n
Those unwilling or unable to leave have consistently reported mass looting by the RSF, whose fighters took over civilian homes.<\/p>\n
Khartoum is one of the areas of the country the UN said was nearing famine conditions, because of looted markets and restrictions on aid by both sides.<\/p>\n
Rights groups have also documented sexual violence and other abuses.<\/p>\n
Both the RSF and the army have also been accused of indiscriminately shelling civilian areas.<\/p>\n