RSF loses last stronghold in Khartoum State
War shifts to western states, South Kordofan
The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) have cleared Khartoum State of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) after capturing Salha, one of the last remaining RSF strongholds in Omdurman’s southern parts.
This advance follows the Sudanese army’s successful push into the capital region from neighboring Al Jazira and River Nile State, culminating in their control of the entire Khartoum locality in late March.
The capture of Salha marks a critical phase in the SAF’s long-standing objective of liberating Khartoum State from the RSF, which had taken control of nearly all of the capital during the early months of the conflict.
With this development, the focus of the war now shifts to Sudan’s western regions, particularly Kordofan and Darfur, which are both the home region of the paramilitary group’s forces.
Salha was the site of a horrific massacre last month in which the RSF executed between 25 to 30 unarmed detainees, as documented in filmed footage geolocated to the area by Sudan War Monitor at the time.
In the past week, SAF forces launched a two-pronged assault on Salha, advancing from the north to capture Omdurman Islamic University, a key fortification located between Salha and Muhandisin, and this morning storming into Salha itself.
The Sudanese military’s ground troops entered Salha from the north at around 8:00 AM, meeting up with units advancing from White Nile State by afternoon at villages located to the west of Jebel Awlia.
Sudanese army troops filming inside the former General Intelligence Operations Authority base in Salha, southern Omdurman, following its capture. Location: 15°29'19.07"N 32°24'35.88"E.
In northern Salha, SAF filmed a discovery said of bodies potentially tortured to death and put in large containers, confirming reports of widespread executions by the RSF following the massacre in Salha last month.
In this video, members of the Sudanese army are seen at Salha’s Wad Bakarawi Fuel Station and New Life Salon. Location: 15°33'24.17"N 32°25'49.92"E.
In a statement, the SAF announced that the entire Khartoum State was now free from RSF, which has intensified drone warfare in recent weeks on major SAF strongholds such as the administrative capital Port Sudan.
“Your forces, with all their components participating in the war of national dignity, have continued to fulfill their sacred duty in fighting the thugs of aggression and oppression of the criminals of the Al-Daglo militia, and their evil supporters and backers of local, regional, and international forces. They are achieving victories day after day with unwavering determination and will, thanks to Allah’s Grace and the support and solidarity of our noble people.”
“In this context, we announce today the complete liberation of the entire state of Khartoum from any presence of terrorist elements of the Al-Dagalo militia, and the cleansing of our national capital from the filth of the rebels and their supporters. We affirm that ‘Khartoum state is completely free of rebels.’”
“We also renew our pledge to our people to continue our efforts until every inch of our country is liberated of every rebel, traitor, and agent.”
“We pray for eternal paradise for our righteous martyrs, a speedy recovery for the wounded, and the beautiful return of our prisoners to their families.”
The fall of Salha marks the total collapse of the RSF’s presence in Khartoum State, following their loss of control in other parts of Omdurman, including the western district of Ombada, and other isolated pockets.
With Khartoum largely secured, the conflict is now shifting to Sudan’s western regions. In North Darfur, SAF forces captured the strategic Al-Atrun garrison and airbase, a key RSF hub used for arms shipments, drone attacks on northern Sudanese cities, and the exportation of gold.
The loss of Al-Atrun is a major blow to the RSF’s logistical operations, hindering their ability to conduct further military operations from the Darfur desert.
Despite this, the RSF has made significant gains in West Kordofan, seizing the town of Al-Nahud last month. Al-Nahud had served as the administrative capital of West Kordofan after the fall of Al-Fula in June 2024. The RSF’s continued presence in this region highlights their ability to push back against SAF advances.
The RSF, which initially gained control of several key strategic locations across Khartoum and the rest of Sudan, is now struggling with internal divisions and defections, compounded by mounting SAF pressure. Once a formidable force, the RSF is now a fragmented entity, facing challenges in holding its ground in the capital and other areas.
By the end of 2024, the SAF had recaptured Sinja, Wad Madani, and other key areas, including parts of Bahri, East Nile, and Khartoum. In March 2025, the SAF achieved further progress, retaking full control of Bahri and East Nile localities. This strategic recovery, coupled with the capture of Jebel Moya in Sennar State, has significantly weakened the RSF’s position.
News in Brief
Days-long electricity blackouts in Omdurman are affecting hospitals, which lack electricity, oxygen, and water, according to Doctors Without Borders. The aid group says the situation is compounded by fuel shortages caused by RSF drone strikes on fuel storage facilities in Port Sudan, making it difficult even to rely backup solutions like trucked water and generators.
An RSF drone strike hit Sudan’s 22nd Infantry Division in Babanusa on May 16, killing one soldier and injuring his brother. In a related development, RSF forces operating in the Babanusa sector under Colonel Saleh Al-Fouti executed a prisoner of war who belonged to the 22nd Infantry Division. He had been captured from his home near the base, on the same evening of May 16. According to a video posted by RSF members, they shot him after ordering him to recite the Shahada, stating, “This is reciprocity—no more prisoners.”
Another drone strike attributed to the RSF occurred on May 18 during a military parade at the Jabal Al-Abatior camp in Al-Jazira State, targeting the Sudan Shield Forces, a group allied with SAF. The group announced that nine of its members were killed and 14 others were injured.
SAF and allied forces advanced toward An-Nahud, seizing Um Libana area, about 100 kilometres east of the city, which the RSF captured earlier this month.
Clashes between SAF and the SPLM-N on May 15 displaced hundreds of families from several villages in Kadīr locality, South Kordofan State, according to the International Organization for Migration’s local monitoring service for Sudan.
Artillery shelling over the past weekend in Abu Shouk in North Darfur killed 14 civilians, according to the Coordination of El Fasher Resistance Committees.
Prisoners in Port Sudan are enduring "catastrophic" conditions and prolonged detentions, with some held for up to 18 months without trial, according to a lawyer from the Emergency Lawyers group. Over 1,600 detainees, including 250 on death row, face overcrowding, delayed hearings, politicized charges, and a lack of clean drinking water.
Sudanese army forces reportedly executed prominent lawyer Ahmed Faleija in Omdurman’s Dar al-Salam neighborhood, accusing him of collaborating with the RSF. The killing occurred during a joint military campaign by the army and jihadist Al Baraa Bin Malik Brigade in RSF-held areas of Omdurman.
Citizens returning to their homes in Khartoum report finding unexploded munitions. Reuters reports that the UN’s mine action office in Sudan almost shut down due to funding cuts by the US Agency for International Development.
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