BBCThe Sudanese military has regained keep an eye on of key spaces of the capital, Khartoum, from the Speedy Enhance Forces (RSF), a paramilitary faction in the hunt for to overthrow the overthrow the UN-recognised govt.On Friday, jubilant military squaddies took pictures of themselves in entrance of the battle-scarred front to the presidential palace within the center of town.Preventing in Sudan broke out in April 2023, when the RSF introduced assaults on Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) bases right through Sudan, shooting important territory, together with key portions of the capital town and its airport.Tens of 1000’s of other people have died within the struggle, tens of millions had been compelled from their properties and plenty of had been left going through famine in what the UN has described as the sector’s worst humanitarian disaster.BBC Check has been analysing movies and photographs posted right through the struggle, ceaselessly by way of combatants on all sides, to construct an image of the military’s push to take again keep an eye on of Khartoum.Town is bounded by way of two nice rivers, the Blue and White Nile, and the military’s battle to regain keep an eye on has been outlined by way of those geographical constraints. 
The offensive to retake the capital started in earnest on 26 September when the military introduced air moves in opposition to RSF-held spaces in Khartoum.Then in January, the start of the dry season noticed contemporary pushes by way of the military – strengthened by way of a brand new alliance with Islamists and ethnic militias – resulting in a string of strategic victories.We now have recognized video and pictures from key moments within the retaking of town.25 January – Breaking out of siege The military headquarters in central Khartoum were encircled by way of RSF forces for 21 months, trapping squaddies not able to hyperlink up with different military gadgets remaining in at the town.Then in past due January, following army advances additional north, the military used to be in a position to ship reinforcements to damage via RSF strains and finish the siege.Verified social media photos posted on 25 January displays squaddies celebrating within the grounds of the military HQ.
Squaddies have fun on the military HQThe following day, the military leader Common Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, visited the military HQ announcing his forces would “get rid of” the RSF and pursue them to the corners of the rustic.6 February – Blockading RSF break out path Many RSF combatants tried to withdraw around the White Nile River to more secure spaces at the western facet as drive fastened on their positions.They discovered their break out path blocked following a reported air strike by way of the SAF at the primary bridge around the river.Photos posted on 6 February displays this crossing level at Jebel Awliya dam about 40 km south of Khartoum, blocked by way of badly broken cars, with black smoke visual within the distance.
Burnt cars at the bridge around the Jebel Awliya damBBC Check has been in a position to verify the positioning of this photos the usage of satellite tv for pc imagery which additionally displays black smoke emerging at that location at the bridge.3 March – Taking keep an eye on of a key bridgeArmy forces drawing near Khartoum tried to take keep an eye on of the Manshiya Bridge, the final primary crossing beneath RSF keep an eye on.On 3 March, the SAF posted drone photos from the struggle for keep an eye on of the bridge. In it we will be able to see the military focused on RSF cars and combatants seeking to flee. A truck, sporting some males, and others working along, can be noticed going up in flames as it’s hit at the bridge.
RSF cars focused at the Manshiya bridgeFurther drone photos displays greater than a dozen males scampering via shrubs in opposition to the bridge.Within the following days the military used to be in a position to carry its place on the bridge and to near in at the final RSF combatants trapped within the space.16 March – Final in on central Khartoum BBC Check has recognized dramatic photos, posted on 16 March, of what seems to be an RSF fighter stuck in a military ambush as they flee the SAF advance in opposition to town centre.Alongside a tarmac boulevard, a dashing bike comes beneath a hail of bullets and flips over throwing off its rider.The boys firing – identifiable as belonging to the military from their uniform and yellow headbands – will also be heard within the photos congratulating themselves following the assault.
An ambush on RSF combatants By way of matching the constructions and the bushes we see within the movies to satellite tv for pc imagery, we’ve got established the incident came about at a location about 2 km (1.2 miles) south of the presidential palace.20 March – Taking the presidential palace We now have recognized video of the military placing a convoy of cars travelling alongside al-Qasr Road, shifting clear of the palace, posted on-line early at the morning of 20 March.The photos displays an enormous hearth erupting, with a couple of explosions and projectiles rising from throughout the hearth, suggesting the detonation of munitions being carried at the cars.The video is accompanied by way of voices, talking in Arabic, describing the assault at the RSF convoy cars containing weaponry.
Fires erupt after an assault on an RSF convoyWe have controlled to ascertain the positioning from two constructions noticed within the photos which fit constructions we see on Google Maps at a junction simply over 1km from the presidential palace.Only a few hours later, jubilant Sudan military squaddies posed for photos in entrance of the palace construction, their palms raised in victory.The RSF nonetheless dangle keep an eye on over important portions of town in addition to huge spaces of western Sudan. However the taking of the palace by way of the military is massively symbolic second within the struggle.Further reporting by way of Kumar Malhotra, Richard Irvine-Brown, Benedict Garman and Matt Murphy
