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Sudan conflict: Army retakes state broadcaster's headquarters from RSF

A heavily armed Darfur rebel unit looks on as U.N. Special envoy for Darfur Jan Eliasson   -  
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ALFRED DE MONTESQUIOU/AP

Sudan

Sudanese army retakes state broadcaster HQ in Omdurman, marking a significant advance in the 11-month civil conflict with RSF.

The RSF had occupied the headquarters since the conflict began, but soldiers now celebrate outside. The conflict has displaced eight million, raising hunger concerns. Army hails it as a "major victory".

However, despite taking the building last April, the RSF had not been able to transmit from it and state television continued to show pro-army content, which was broadcast from elsewhere in the country.

Ever since the war broke out, the army and the RSF have battled for control of Khartoum and the nearby cities. Despite the United Nations Security Council's call for a ceasefire during the holy month of Ramadan, intense fighting has continued in several parts of the capital.

The conflict erupted last April following a disagreement between the army's head, Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and RSF chief Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, better known as Hemedti, over an internationally backed political plan to move towards civilian rule.

As well as displacing millions, the conflict has left Khartoum in ruins, caused a humanitarian crisis and triggered ethnically driven killings in Darfur, in the west of the country.

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