Videos circulating on social media depicted soldiers inside the palace, with Ramadan’s 21st day noted as a Friday. A Sudanese military officer, dressed as a captain, confirmed the troops’ presence in the compound.

The palace’s partly ruined appearance showed soldiers’ boots crushing broken tiles as they moved through the area. Armed soldiers and those carrying rocket-propelled grenade launchers chanted, “God is the greatest!”

According to Sudanese Information Minister Khaled al-Aiser, the military recaptured the palace as stated in his post on X (formerly Twitter).

“Today the flag is raised, the palace is back, and the journey continues until victory is complete,” he declared.

Recalling the Republican Palace, an influential seat of the pre-war government, now a memorable site in Sudan depicted on its currency and postage, the military’s gain shows progress under General Abdel-Fattah Burhan’s leadership.

This victory has forced the rival Rapid Support Forces (RSF), led by General Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, out of Khartoum since the war started in April 2023.

RSF’s immediate reaction to this loss remains unseen, indicating the conflict is far from over as the group retains control in other parts of Sudan. They have claimed to have taken al-Maliha, a tactical desert city in North Darfur, a claim Sudan’s military contests.

Al-Maliha, situated 200 kilometers north of El Fasher, still under military control, continues to see near-daily RSF strikes.

UNICEF’s head labeled the conflict the world’s most severe humanitarian crisis.

Since the conflict’s onset, over 28,000 people have died, millions have been displaced, and some families have resorted to eating grass due to widespread famine. Yet, other accounts suggest an even higher death toll.

Historically, the Republican Palace served as the power center during Sudan’s British colonization, witnessed the first raising of the independent Sudanese flag in 1956, and housed the main offices of the president and top officials.

The palace and its grounds were frequently targeted by the Sudanese military throughout the conflict.

Since the ousting of long-time autocrat Omar al-Bashir in 2019, Sudan has experienced instability leading to Burhan and Dagalo’s military coup in 2021.

Burhan’s forces, including allied militias, have advanced against the RSF this year, retaking a critical refinery and pressuring RSF positions around Khartoum. Civilian casualties have increased amid the fighting.

Al-Bashir faces International Criminal Court charges for genocide in Darfur. Human rights groups and the U.N. accuse the RSF and allied Arab militias of targeting ethnic African groups.

As the conflict rages on, both the Sudanese military and the RSF face accusations of human rights violations, with the U.S. State Department claiming the RSF is responsible for genocide. Both parties deny these allegations.