Sudanese army troops and allied militiamen were rapidly advancing in the capital on Wednesday, engaging the rival paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in street combat in residential areas once home to hundreds of thousands of citizens before the war broke out 21 months ago.

CAIRO (Reuters) - Sudanese army chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan visited its strategic headquarters in central Khartoum on Sunday in his first appearance there since government forces claimed to have broken a months-long siege by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

Burhan's forces are advancing in the capital and consolidating positions in the east, the troops of his rival, General Hemedti, are tightening pressure on El-Fasher, in Darfur, in the west.

The Sudanese army said on Tuesday it had gained further ground in the battle for Khartoum, claiming control of key sites in the Bahri district, including areas in Shambat and Old Bahri. The army’s advances included the former Parachute Corps headquarters,

The Sudanese army has broken a siege by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces of its command centre in central Khartoum, the army said on Friday, in what would be a major victory in the capital after nearly two years of war.

The Sudanese army said Saturday that it gained full control of the al-Jaili oil refinery north of the capital Khartoum. The army made the announcement in a brief statement, without providing any further details.

Sudan's army chief visited on Sunday his headquarters in the capital Khartoum, two days after forces recaptured the complex, which paramilitaries had encircled since the war erupted in April 2023.