The army takes control of RSF territories in Mansoura, Murabaat and Elfitihab and seizes weapons and ammunition depots.
Sudan's military forces claim to have advanced towards Omdurman, the country's second largest city, taking some areas previously controlled by the rival rebel group, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Fighting was reported to be raging in the city, which lies directly across the Nile River from the capital Khartoum, for a second day on Wednesday. The army has now taken control of former RSF territories in Mansoura, Murabaat and Elfitihab, according to Hiba Morgan, Al Jazeera correspondent in Sudan.
fighting in #SudanTurkey's capital today is mostly in Omdurman, and the army has taken control of former RSF territory in Mansoura, Murabaat and Elfitihab. RSF has been using drones in south Omdurman in recent days to try to stop or minimize today's attack.
– Hiba Morgan (@hiba_morgan) January 7, 2025
The campaign in Omdurman is part of a new phase of the war that broke out in April 2023, with fighting heavily concentrated in Khartoum and the last disputed state in the sprawling western region of Darfur. The conflict has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions.
In a social media post, our correspondent said RSF fighters have been deploying drones to try to stop military advances.
The Sudan Tribune also confirmed the development, adding that three army officers had been released from captivity.
He reported that government soldiers had seized a weapons and ammunition depot maintained by the RSF, as well as storage facilities containing flour and sugar.
Brigadier General Nabil Abdallah told the outlet that the release of the three officers came after a special operation, in which up to 20 RSF fighters were killed, including a commander.
Al Jazeera could not independently verify the statement.
The military advances come after the United States determined that the RSF had “committed genocide” in Sudan and imposed sanctions on its leader, Mohamed Hamdan “Hemedti” Dagalo.
International agencies have accused both RSF and government forces of atrocities and war crimes.
Sudan has been torn apart and pushed into famine by the war that broke out 21 months ago, making the country the scene of the world's largest internal displacement crisis.
