What Does the Liberation of the Palace Mean?
As I See
Adil El-Baz
1
It is the place where General Gordon was killed on January 26, 1885, marking the beginning of the decline of the great empire in our country. It is the very site where Sudan’s independence flag was raised, the battleground of our revolutions and coups since independence, and the destination we turn to whenever we are out of options, seeking a solution.
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It is the court where our governments are formed and fall at its doorstep. In short, it embodies our political memory—with all its greatness, shame, and misery—spanning two centuries (constructed in 1882). That is why this palace remains a singular chord in our collective consciousness.
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This palace has long endured our political recklessness. As students, whenever we felt trapped, we marched towards its gates, chanting: “To the palace, until victory!” Yet, we never truly won and would always return to the university squares, boasting about our heroic battles against tear gas.
In its courtyard, Mohammed Ahmed Mahgoub and Ismail Al-Azhari raised our independence flag in 1956. There, General Abboud announced his resignation, as did Sirr Al-Khatim Al-Khalifa and Abdalla Hamdok.
It was where Abdul Khaliq Mahgoub hid during Hashim Al-Atta’s coup in 1971, and from its walls, Jaafar Nimeiry leaped—only to return to power once again.
In its corridors, Omar Al-Bashir declared his takeover, and three decades later, in its outer courtyard, he refused to step down!
It was at this site that the Constitutional Document was signed in 2019, and ironically, it was at the same spot where General Al-Burhan nullified that very document during his “corrective movement” in 2021.
Within its walls, Hamdok took the oath as Prime Minister of the revolution in 2019. In the same place, the same Hamdok was sworn in as Prime Minister of what he later called the “October 25, 2021 coup”!
Simply put, it is the geography where everything is cooked up—where conspiracies are woven, intrigues are crafted, and major decisions are made.
Finally, it is the palace we lost—not through war or battle, not because we were defeated by thugs, but through the cheap betrayal of forces entrusted with its protection, forces that were part of the state.
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Despite everything, it remained the symbol of our pride and joy. We never saw it as miserable as it was when the thugs conspired against it, seized it, and destroyed it. It had always been radiant and beautiful, resting peacefully on the banks of the Blue Nile.
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Today, the palace has returned to its homeland, a glorious and blessed return. Its restoration is not just about reclaiming part of our history and memory; it signifies that the nation is healing and reaping the sweetest fruits of its sacrifices in the battle for dignity.
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Its return confirms that a crucial and decisive battle in the liberation of the nation has been fought and won through great sacrifices. May God have mercy on the martyrs of the palace battles and all our fallen heroes:
“Every wound within us is bearable
When it inspires them
Our wounds are bleeding, yet we remain silent
Our sorrow is immense, yet we remain patient
So strike as you wish, O fate.”
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The palace’s return also means that smaller, less significant battles still await us in the capital—some pockets in Al-Mogran, some in East Khartoum, a battle in Sports City, another in Jebel Awlia, as well as locations in West and South Omdurman.
The militia will never recover after losing the palace. That same ghost who vowed never to leave it? Indeed, his soldiers left—only as lifeless bodies.
With the palace liberated, the Joint Forces cheered in the deserts, celebrating their victories in Malha and the palace’s liberation. El-Fasher and all of Darfur have gained renewed confidence. Rest assured, all convoys will soon march toward Darfur’s liberation, and we hope they will not stop until they reach N’Djamena!
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The liberation of the palace means the return of life to the capital, allowing all government institutions to resume operations shortly. This renders irrelevant any talk of a Port Sudan-based government—those grasping at straws will find nothing left to hold on to.
Likewise, those dreaming of a “phantom government” that threatens the legitimate palace-backed administration, supported by the people, are merely indulging in fantasies, painting their illusions with lies. The true, rightful government will soon be announced from within the restored Republican Palace, after the full liberation of the capital.
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The palace’s revival is Sudan’s revival. From there, “the last Scheherazade” will appear, bringing her tales to the “safe country.”
“And its autumn will be generous,
The udders will overflow,
The lost days will hasten their return.”
