The Sudanese army recaptures Khartoum Airport and is close to resolving the battle for the capital.

The Sudanese army took control of Khartoum International Airport on Wednesday and recaptured camps and neighborhoods from the Rapid Support Forces, indicating that the battle for the capital is nearing a decisive victory.

The Sudanese army's Khartoum operations commander confirmed to Al Jazeera that the airport had been taken over and secured. Sources had previously told Al Jazeera that the army was besieging the roads and residential neighborhoods surrounding the airport, which is located in the city center and has been under the control of the Rapid Support Forces for months.

Simultaneously with the recapture of the airport, the army seized control of the entrance to the city of Jebel Awliya, south of Khartoum, and surrounded it from all directions. This area is the last major stronghold of the Rapid Support Forces in Khartoum.

Earlier, Sudanese military media reported that the armored corps took control of the land port headquarters in the Al-Sahafa suburb, east of Khartoum, at dawn on Wednesday.

He added that army forces also took control of the buildings of the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Sudan and the Al-Nahda and Al-Sahafa neighborhoods.

Military media also reported that the army had tightened its grip on the western side of the Manshiyya Bridge, while sources told Al Jazeera that the army was close to taking control of the Soba Bridge from the west.

In a concurrent development, a Sudanese military source told Al Jazeera that the army had retaken the Yarmouk Military Factory and the Taiba Rapid Support Forces camp, and had begun deploying in the Kalaklat area south of Khartoum.

Sources also told Al Jazeera that the army had retaken the town of Al-Baqir and the headquarters of the First Armored Brigade there, south of Khartoum. Meanwhile, local sources reported that the Sudanese army had begun military operations in the Umm Ramta locality, west of the White Nile.

Expanding control

A source had previously reported that the army had seized all police positions and large parts of the Burri neighbourhood east of Khartoum on Tuesday evening.

Military sources on the ground also told Al Jazeera that the army and allied forces took control of the Khartoum International Fair, east of the capital, yesterday evening.

For its part, local sources told Al Jazeera that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) withdrew their forces from the Al-Sahafa, Al-Kalaklat, and Al-Azhari areas in the southwest and south of the city.

Days ago, the Sudanese army recaptured the presidential palace two years after it was seized by the Rapid Support Forces. It also recaptured several government institutions in central Khartoum and is now looking to seize control of the international airport.

The Rapid Support Forces have recently suffered successive setbacks, forcing them to withdraw from several areas in Greater Khartoum, after the army expelled them from most of Al-Jazirah State (central) and neighboring areas.

fierce battles

Meanwhile, Yasser al-Atta, assistant commander-in-chief of the Sudanese army and member of the Sovereignty Council, said that the army and its supporting forces are engaged in fierce battles toward Jebel Awliya, south of Khartoum.

During his first visit to the presidential palace, Al-Atta added that all Janjaweed forces—referring to the Rapid Support Forces—would be besieged throughout Sudan.

The Sudanese army said it had prepared three divisions that would head to Jebel Awliya to declare the entire state of Khartoum free of what it described as a rebellion.

A field source told Al Jazeera that the army had taken control of the Sandas agricultural project near Jebel Awliya, southwest of Khartoum.

According to a Sudanese military source, the withdrawing Rapid Support Forces have redeployed west of the Jebel Awlia Dam.

A Sudanese military source said that the army and its supporting forces will not allow what it calls the militia (the Rapid Support Forces) any chance to catch their breath.

Drone bombing

In field developments, local sources told Al Jazeera that Rapid Support Forces bombed El Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan (central Sudan), on Tuesday evening, killing one civilian and wounding five others, including a child whose leg was amputated.

Sources also reported that Rapid Support Forces targeted several neighborhoods in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state, with drones and heavy artillery on Wednesday morning.

Rapid Support Forces have been besieging El Fasher for about a year, and have repeatedly attempted to storm it but failed.

In recent weeks, the Rapid Support Forces have launched several drone attacks on cities outside the fighting, such as Merowe.

Since mid-April 2023, Sudan has been embroiled in a military conflict that has killed at least 20,000 people and displaced more than 14 million, according to the United Nations.

Source: Al Jazeera