Sat Mar 29 15:13:19 UTC 2025: ## Sudanese Army Seizes Key Omdurman Market, Claiming Momentum Shift in Khartoum Conflict

**Khartoum, Sudan** – The Sudanese army announced on Saturday that it has taken control of Souq Libya, a major commercial market in Omdurman, a city across the Nile from Khartoum. This latest gain builds on recent army successes in the ongoing conflict with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), potentially marking a turning point in the devastating two-year war.

The army claims to have seized weapons and equipment left behind by fleeing RSF fighters. Control of Souq Libya, a significant commercial hub, further solidifies the army’s hold on Omdurman, where it already controls most of the territory, including two major military bases. The army’s goal appears to be securing complete control of the greater Khartoum area, encompassing Khartoum, Omdurman, and Bahri. The RSF has yet to comment on the army’s advance.

While the army believes the recapture of Khartoum, largely under RSF control for much of the war, signals a shift in momentum, fighting continues fiercely in Darfur, Kordofan, and Gezira state. Neither side has achieved a decisive victory, and a political settlement remains elusive. The conflict continues to be fueled by regional backing of both sides.

The Sudanese army has accused the United Arab Emirates of supporting the RSF, an allegation corroborated by UN experts and US lawmakers. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) will hear a case filed by Sudan against the UAE, alleging violations of the Genocide Convention through support for the RSF, implicated in alleged genocidal acts against the Masalit people in Darfur. The UAE denies these accusations.

The conflict, which began amid a power struggle between the army and the RSF, has displaced over 12 million Sudanese and left approximately half the population facing acute hunger. Estimates of casualties vary, but a study suggests 61,000 deaths in Khartoum state alone during the first 14 months.

In a separate development, the army reported the evacuation of hundreds of civilian and military prisoners previously held by the RSF in appalling conditions in Jebel Awliya, south of Khartoum. According to Sudanese army commander Major General Mohamed Saleh Abu Halima, approximately 4,700 prisoners were held, suffering from malnutrition and lack of healthcare, with several deaths reported.

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