In the early morning of September 26, Sudan’s army launched a major offensive to capture the capital Khartoum from the rival paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).Local outlets reported that the army sent in several infantry formations that crossed vital bridges that connect Omdurman to Khartoum, backed by air power and artillery fire.
The army captured at least one important bridge and took control of Souk al-Araby – a market in the heart of Khartoum, Al Jazeera’s Hiba Morgan reported on Friday. Several residents in the city told Al Jazeera the army had taken control of three major crossings in total.
The assault could be one of the army’s most significant operations since the Sudan war erupted in April 2023.
Since then, the RSF has been in firm control of most of the city and has been accused of committing abuses against the civilian population, such as looting markets and hospitals, uprooting residents and confiscating their homes and subjecting women and girls to extreme forms of sexual violence.
Reports of the army’s recent advances have brought some hope to civilians still living under RSF control in Khartoum, according to Augreis,*a human-rights activist who has been procuring aid and food for beleaguered civilians living under RSF rule.
“People are fed up with the militia,” she said, referring to the RSF.
However, she added that civilians were also frightened amid the continuing …
