Sudan’s army gains ground in Khartoum as Burhan plans government
2 Min Read
The RSF, which has voiced support for creating a rival civilian administration, has been retreating as the army bolsters its ground forces with allied militias and expands its airpower.
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Sudanese nationals sit outside the South Sudan People's Defense Forces (SSPDF) headquarters, after a night of violence in Juba, South Sudan, on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025 (AP)
A new Sudanese government is set to be established once the army fully regains control of Khartoum, military sources told Reuters on Sunday. This comes a day after army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan announced plans to form a technocratic wartime government.
After months of being on the defensive in its conflict with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the Sudanese army has recently made advances across several fronts in the capital. It is now closing in on the presidential palace along the Nile, a key strategic and symbolic site.
The RSF, which has voiced support for creating a rival civilian administration, has been retreating as the army bolsters its ground forces with allied militias and expands its airpower.
"We can call it a caretaker government, a wartime government—it will help us complete our military objectives, which include liberating Sudan from these rebels," Burhan said during a meeting with pro-army politicians in Port Sudan, the military’s stronghold.
The big picture
Despite the army's gains in Khartoum, the RSF still controls much of western Sudan and is intensifying efforts to consolidate power in Darfur, particularly by attempting to seize al-Fashir. Burhan dismissed the possibility of a Ramadan ceasefire unless the RSF halts its campaign in the region.
The war, which began in April 2023 over disagreements about integrating the two forces, followed their joint effort to oust civilian leaders who had shared power with them after the fall of longtime ruler Omar al-Bashir.
The conflict has led to one of the worst humanitarian crises globally, with over 12 million people displaced and half the population facing severe food insecurity.
Burhan also indicated that changes would be made to the country’s interim constitution, with military sources stating that all references to power-sharing with civilians or the RSF would be removed. Instead, authority would be concentrated in the army, which would appoint a technocratic prime minister responsible for forming a cabinet.
Additionally, Burhan urged members of the civilian Taqadum coalition to distance themselves from the RSF, stating they would be welcomed back into the political process if they did so.
Read more: Sudan: A borderless conflict
