Battle of Omdurman (2023 onwards)

Overview

The Battle of Khartoum was a major strategic battle for control of Khartoum, the capital of Sudan, with fighting in and around the city between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), as part of the civil war. The battle began on 15 April 2023, after the RSF captured Khartoum International Airport, several military bases, and the presidential palace in an attempted coup d'état, starting an escalating series of clashes. The battle was also the longest continuous battle in Sudanese history, the longest battle in an African capital ever, the longest in North African history and is one of the deadliest recorded battles in Sudanese and African history, with over 61,000 deaths. The battle was also marked by its gruelling urban warfare.

Overview adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Significance

The Battle of Omdurman, fought as part of the broader contest for Khartoum beginning on 15 April 2023, formed a central front in the Sudanese civil war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The RSF initiated hostilities by seizing Khartoum International Airport, several military bases, and the presidential palace in what amounted to an attempted coup d'état, triggering sustained urban combat across the capital. The battle became the longest continuous battle in Sudanese history, the longest ever fought in an African capital, and the longest in North African history. With over 61,000 deaths recorded, it ranks among the deadliest battles in Sudanese and African history, and its continuation into subsequent years reflected the failure of either side to achieve decisive control over the capital and the institutions of the Sudanese state.

Tactics

Forces & casualties

Commanders (7)