Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) declared “no retreat and no surrender” on Thursday.
This defiant statement followed claims by the General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan’s army that they had retaken nearly all of central Khartoum.
The RSF, in their first direct response this week, stated their forces had “repositioned” rather than lost battles.
They vowed to “defend the homeland’s soil and secure a decisive victory” against their rivals.
Independent confirmation of the RSF’s current positions in the capital remains challenging.
The conflict, ongoing since April 2023, has caused immense devastation.
The war has reportedly killed tens of thousands and displaced over 12 million people, according to UN figures.
It has effectively divided Sudan, with Burhan’s army controlling the north and east.
The RSF holds huge chunk of the south and most of the Darfur region.
A successful retreat could potentially link their forces near Khartoum with their strongholds in Darfur.
Simultaneously, the RSF announced a “military alliance” with allied forces controlling parts of South Kordofan and Blue Nile states.
Witnesses in Damazin reported drone attacks on the airport and a nearby dam, marking a new escalation in those areas.
