The Sudanese army has initiated a significant offensive against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the capital, Khartoum, marking an escalation in the ongoing civil war.

Dawn strikes on Thursday targeted RSF bases in Khartoum and Bahri, areas the army lost at the onset of the conflict in April 2023.

The fighting began as the army shelled RSF positions, despite ongoing US-led efforts to broker a ceasefire discussed at the UN General Assembly this week. Since the conflict erupted, it has led to what the UN describes as one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, with approximately 150,000 deaths and over 10 million people displaced—about a fifth of Sudan’s population.

Residents reported that artillery and air strikes intensified overnight, with the army crossing key bridges over the River Nile, which had divided government-controlled regions from RSF territories. The RSF claims to have repelled these advances, though clashes and smoke were reported across central Khartoum, where the paramilitary group has maintained control since early in the war.

Thursday’s military action represents the first significant push by government forces in months to reclaim territory. The UN has urgently called for measures to protect civilians, having documented at least 78 civilian deaths from recent artillery shelling and air strikes in greater Khartoum since the beginning of September.

The ongoing violence has taken a heavy toll on civilian populations, with both the army and RSF accused of indiscriminately targeting civilian areas. The UN warns that relentless hostilities have triggered one of the fastest-growing displacement crises in the world, with half of the displaced—about 5 million people—being children. Furthermore, at least two million have fled to neighboring countries seeking safety.

As the situation deteriorates, Sudan faces what the UN has termed “the world’s largest hunger crisis,” with widespread fears of famine due to the inability to cultivate crops. Additionally, there are alarming warnings of potential genocide against non-Arabs in the western region of Darfur. The international community remains concerned as the humanitarian situation continues to worsen.