Sudan’s Army Takes the Capital Market back

March 31st, 2025

Dhruv Arun

On Saturday, the Sudanese army said it had taken control of a major market in Khartoum’s twin city of Omdurman, which had previously been used by the RSF to launch attacks during a devastating two-year-old war. This assertion comes just days after Sudanese forces had declared defeat of the RSF in Khartoum, stating that they captured most positions within the capital. According to the army, its forces were now in control of the market in western Omdurman, Souq Libya, having seized weapons and equipment left behind by the RSF when they fled. Souq Libya is one of the largest and most important commercial hubs in Sudan, and at the time, the army already controlled most of Omdurman, home to two big military bases. It also appears that the army is extremely intent on securing control over the entire capital area, which is made up of the three cities of Khartoum, Omdurman, and Bahri, divided by branches of the River Nile. Meanwhile, Sudan’s army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan arrived at Khartoum’s recaptured presidential palace on March 26, declaring the capital “free” of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces after nearly two years of war. Army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan added onto this sentiment by saying the "joy of victory will not be complete until the last rebel is eliminated in the last corner of Sudan’s land" and “We will not neglect the sacrifices of our martyrs… We will not compromise… There is no retreat from defeating and crushing the terrorist Al-Dagalo militia,” reaffirming the military's commitment to restoring national unity and stability. The war erupted amid a power struggle between the army and the RSF ahead of a planned transition to civilian rule. It ruined much of Khartoum, uprooted more than 12 million Sudanese from their homes, and left about half of the 50 million population suffering acute hunger. Additionally, the conflict between the army and the RSF has unleashed waves of ethnic violence, created what the United Nations calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis, and plunged several areas into famine. Overall deaths are hard to estimate, but a study published last year said the toll may have reached 61,000 in Khartoum state alone in the first 14 months of the conflict.

On the other side, RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, also known as Hemedti, said on Sunday that his war against the army was not over and his forces would return to Khartoum despite being largely driven out of the capital. Dagalo conceded in an audio message on Telegram that his forces had left the capital last week as the army consolidated its gains. He also said that "It's true that in the past few days there was a withdrawal by forces [from Khartoum] to reposition in Omdurman. This was a tactical decision made by the leadership. It was a collective decision.” He vowed to return to Khartoum "stronger, more powerful, and victorious." At the same time, fighting is continuing in the huge Darfur region to the west of Sudan, the Kordofan region in central and southern parts of the country, and Gezira state, a strategic agricultural hub located south of the capital. Neither side has managed to strike a knockout blow to the other, and there is no sign of a political settlement or peace process in the near future, while each side continues to enjoy the support of its regional backers.