![General Abdelfattah al Burhan seen greeting soldiers near General Army Headquarters in central Khartoum, Sudan. [Photo by SAF]](https://i0.wp.com/www.sudanspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/345652597_1322172561844313_7588211206489570369_n.jpg?resize=999%2C591&quality=89&ssl=1)
In a statement, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) said its troops successfully connected units from northern Bahri and Omdurman with the Signal Corps in southern Khartoum. The Signal Corps is located north of the SAF General Command, both separated by the Blue Nile.
“Today, our forces completed the second phase of their operations by merging the forces of the Khartoum Bahri axis with our forces stationed at the General Command,” the army statement read.
The SAF also claimed to have regained control of the Al-Jaili oil refinery in northern Khartoum and repelled an RSF attack on El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur.
“The command of the armed forces congratulates our forces on all combat axes on this victory, which came along with repelling the treacherous attack of the terrorist Al-Daglo militia this morning on the steadfast city of El Fasher and chasing them from the Khartoum Refinery in Al-Jaili and the military industrial complex,” it said.
The RSF, which has encircled the Signal Corps and the General Command since the conflict began in April 2023, could not be immediately reached for comment. Although independent verification of the claims remains challenging, SAF soldiers recently seen in Omdurman and northern Bahri appeared to have filmed themselves at the Signal Corps.
The army and RSF have been locked in a protracted struggle for control of Khartoum and its surrounding areas since the war erupted. The RSF has held Khartoum North (Bahri) on the east bank of the Nile, while the army has controlled parts of Omdurman on the west bank.
Over the past year, the conflict has resulted in intense artillery exchanges across the river, with civilians frequently caught in the crossfire. Bombs and shrapnel have struck residential areas, leaving residents in a state of constant fear.
Friday’s breakthrough follows the army’s recent recapture of Wad Madani, the capital of Al-Jazira State, located south of Khartoum. That victory secured a critical crossroads between the capital and other states, signaling a shift in momentum in the long-running conflict.
The war has plunged Sudan into one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. According to the United Nations, the conflict has killed tens of thousands, displaced over 12 million people, and created famine conditions in several regions. A UN-backed report last month warned that millions more are at risk of starvation.
The international community has increasingly pressured both sides to halt hostilities. Last week, the United States imposed sanctions on Sudanese army chief General Abdelfattah al-Burhan for alleged attacks on civilian infrastructure and the use of food deprivation as a weapon of war.
Washington also sanctioned RSF leader Mohammad Hamdan Daglo, accusing his forces of committing genocide.
As fighting intensifies, the SAF’s latest advance could mark a turning point in the battle for Khartoum, though the road to peace remains uncertain.
