AFRIQUECAN: SUDAN’S army said it had taken control of the state broadcast headquarters from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on Tuesday in what would be its most significant advance against its paramilitary rival in nearly 11 months of war.
The broadcast building lies in Omdurman, a city across the River Nile from Khartoum that forms part of Sudan’s wider capital and has seen heavy fighting around military bases, bridges and supply routes.
Battles have continued despite a call by the United Nations Security Council for a truce to allow desperately needed humanitarian aid into Sudan during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which began on Monday.
The truce call was welcomed by the RSF but rejected by a senior general in the army, which has claimed some recent gains in Omdurman after being on the back foot militarily through much of the war.
The capture of the state broadcast building would extend its control from the north across “old Omdurman”, though the RSF retains southern and western areas of the city.
Witnesses say the army, which has depended on air power and heavy artillery to try to counter the RSF’s infantry advantage, has deployed drones in Omdurman to regain ground.
There was no immediate comment from the RSF.
The RSF seized the state broadcast building as fighting broke out in mid-April 2023, and used it along with other public facilities for military operations.
