Sudan's army has initiated attacks on paramilitary positions in the capital, aiming to reclaim territory. The majority of the city remains under the control of the rebel Rapid Support Forces (RSF) amid the ongoing 17-month civil war.

The Sudanese army initiated artillery and airstrikes in the capital, Khartoum, on Thursday, aiming to reclaim areas occupied by the rebel Rapid Support Forces (RSF) during the ongoing civil war that has lasted for 17 months.

Witnesses reported intense shelling and clashes as army forces attempted to cross the bridges spanning the Nile that connect the three cities comprising the greater capital: Khartoum, Omdurman, and Bahri.

This offensive marks the army's first significant effort in several months to retake parts of the capital that are under RSF control.

Although the army made some progress in Omdurman earlier this year, it has struggled to dislodge RSF forces entrenched in various locations throughout the capital.

The current civil war in Sudan erupted in April 2023, stemming from a power struggle between RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo and army chief Abdel-Fattah Burhan.

The conflict has resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands, displaced over 10 million people, and led to extreme hunger or famine conditions in several regions across the country.

The latest offensive coincides with Burhan's scheduled address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Thursday.