Bullets and Blood: Scenes from the Presidential Palace Battle in Khartoum

Report – Abdul Raouf Taha

Until April 2023, the Presidential Palace in Khartoum, overlooking the Blue Nile, stood as a symbol of sovereignty and a destination for rulers and high-profile visitors. However, after that date, it became a battleground between the army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

The two sides shared control of the site: the army held the southern side of the palace and controlled the main gate, while the RSF was positioned along the Nile, controlling the northern gate.

There was more that united the two sides than divided them. They jointly guarded the most important symbol of the state’s sovereignty, and their soldiers even shared meals during Ramadan. However, one fateful night during that holy month marked the point of no return.

Fighting erupted swiftly, transforming the palace into a war zone that quickly expanded. RSF fighters launched fierce attacks with their most experienced fighters and advanced weaponry, aiming to seize the army commander’s residence. Intense battles ensued, resulting in the deaths of numerous presidential guards. Yet, the leadership held its ground and never fell throughout two years of war.

The army withdrew from the palace, likely due to a lack of preparedness and the element of surprise. Since then, the palace had remained under RSF control for 23 months — until the army managed to reclaim it early Friday morning following intense military operations, a siege, and weeks of encirclement.

Bullets and Blood

The Presidential Palace — once regarded as an architectural masterpiece and a historic monument — now lies in ruins. Large sections have been reduced to rubble and ash, with shattered glass and broken furniture scattered throughout the grounds after two years of conflict.

The RSF had used the palace buildings as sniper outposts and platforms for launching advanced short- and medium-range missiles targeting the Engineers Corps to the west and the General Command to the south.

Despite the destruction caused by ongoing shelling and clashes, army commanders see the palace’s recapture as a significant turning point in the war.

Dozens of RSF fighters were killed in the palace battle, and the army also lost many officers and soldiers — turning the site into a symbol of bloodshed and conflict.

According to army officers, the military employed a long-term strategy to weaken the RSF’s grip around the palace. The first step involved securing strategic positions in Al-Mogran, a key area west of Khartoum, to facilitate artillery strikes and disrupt RSF defenses.

This was followed by an army advance in Bahri from the northern side opposite the palace. Meanwhile, a tank division moved toward the Arab Market and central Khartoum, effectively cutting off all access routes to the palace. Forces from the General Command also spread out to the east, tightening the noose around the RSF.

The army’s advance was slowed by obstacles and landmines, as well as tall buildings surrounding the palace from all sides — including the Kuwait Tower overlooking the Nile, which stands several stories high.

According to a senior officer who spoke to Al Jazeera Net, the army intensified its attacks on the Kuwait Tower on Thursday using artillery and drones to neutralize the snipers positioned there.

“After securing the Kuwait Tower, it became easier to enter the palace,” the officer said. “Our forces advanced from the east along the Nile and entered through the eastern and northern gates, which were under RSF control before the war.”

“Once inside, RSF fighters fled south. We pursued them with light weapons such as the PK machine gun and Kalashnikov rifles, inflicting heavy casualties,” the officer added. He noted that the remaining RSF fighters fled through the narrow alleys of the Arab Market, which prevented the army from completely wiping them out.

Blood on the Palace Floor

Following the announcement of the palace’s recapture, soldiers and journalists rushed to celebrate the widely anticipated victory. Sudanese state television was at the forefront of the media coverage.

However, as celebrations were underway in the palace courtyard, an RSF suicide drone suddenly struck, killing several people, including journalists from Sudan TV and officers from the Sudanese army’s media division. Regional and international media resumed broadcasting the army’s victory celebrations shortly afterward.

Pockets Around the Palace

Despite the army’s control of the palace, some RSF fighters remain in the surrounding areas, particularly in parts of the Arab Market.

Major General Mohammed Abdul Rahman Al-Bilawi told Al Jazeera Net that RSF fighters trapped in central Khartoum are now surrounded and unable to escape. “Many of their attempts to break out have failed, and they’ve fallen into army ambushes,” he said.

Source: Al Jazeera Net