May 19, 2025, remains etched in the memory of residents across western Khartoum. For many, the liberation of Al-Salha marked the end of months of uncertainty and the beginning of a new chapter.
The operation formed part of the broader campaign by the Sudanese Armed Forces to retake territory occupied by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) following the outbreak of war in April 2023. The campaign has been led by Sovereignty Council Chairman and Commander-in-Chief of the Sudanese Armed Forces, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, whose government has increasingly emphasized the integration of military operations with intelligence and counterterrorism efforts.
Supporting those operations has been Sudan’s General Intelligence Service (GIS), headed by Lieutenant General Ahmed Ibrahim Mufaddal. Sudanese officials have said the intelligence service has played an expanding role in gathering battlefield intelligence, identifying weapons depots, disrupting armed networks, and supporting military operations through surveillance and counterterrorism capabilities.
On the night of May 18, heavy artillery fire intensified from Sudanese Armed Forces positions near the Engineers Corps base toward western Khartoum. The barrage fueled both anxiety and anticipation among residents, as rumors spread that Al-Salha would be liberated the following day.
By the morning of May 19, temperatures had already climbed under the summer heat. Military columns began moving south from the Engineers Corps base toward Al-Salha. Witnesses described a convoy of armored vehicles, troop carriers, support trucks, and ambulances advancing toward the front lines.
Residents gathered along both sides of the Fetehab–Al-Salha road, cheering as the forces passed. Men, women, and children lined the route to encourage the soldiers heading into battle.
According to eyewitnesses, morale among the troops appeared exceptionally high. Soldiers chanted, “All forces, into Al-Salha,” while civilians responded with prayers and calls for victory.
Inside Omdurman’s Neighborhoods
Around 10:00 a.m., witnesses said confusion began spreading among members of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
According to local accounts, some fighters were loading goods onto large trucks and smaller vehicles reportedly taken from civilians. Others continued selling narcotics, ammunition, and assorted merchandise in local markets, apparently convinced that the artillery bombardment was targeting other areas and that army forces would not reach the residential neighborhoods.
That confidence soon disappeared.
Residents shopping in local markets recalled panic spreading when reports emerged that army units were approaching nearby communities.
“We saw RSF fighters scrambling westward,” one witness said. “They were hurriedly gathering merchandise, ammunition, and supplies while shouting, ‘The army has arrived.'”
Large numbers of RSF fighters and their families reportedly began fleeing toward North Kordofan. Residents described scenes of extraordinary disorder.
“It looked like Judgment Day,” one resident recalled. “There were countless men, women, and children moving on foot. Many looked exhausted. Some children carried their shoes because they could no longer wear them.”
Roads quickly became clogged with trucks, cars, and motorcycles, creating severe traffic congestion and making movement difficult.
Residents in villages west of Al-Salha said they had little advance knowledge of the military operation, partly because electricity throughout much of southern Omdurman had reportedly been cut. When they emerged from their homes to investigate the commotion, many were confronted with scenes they described as both shocking and distressing.
Families traveling with fleeing RSF members reportedly knocked on doors asking for water in the intense heat.
“We saw children younger than ten carrying their younger siblings on their backs,” one resident said. “Many were barefoot, holding their shoes in their hands. We could hear children crying from hunger and thirst.”
Witnesses also reported seeing displaced families enter markets and approach homeowners and shopkeepers seeking food and drinking water.
The Al-Salha–Bara Road
As the fleeing crowds moved toward the Bara road, another challenge emerged.
According to local accounts, numerous vehicles broke down before reaching their destination in sparsely populated areas that had largely been abandoned during the conflict.
Drivers reportedly attempted repairs without success. Some residents speculated that contaminated fuel may have contributed to the widespread mechanical failures.
With few alternatives available, many travelers abandoned their vehicles and belongings.
Witnesses said the abandoned loads included household appliances, televisions, refrigerators, furniture, food supplies, and other goods believed to have been looted. Some vehicles were reportedly left behind with personal possessions and mobile phones still inside.
Residents who later returned to the area after the fighting subsided reported finding bodies scattered across the desert landscape.
According to these accounts, the remains of fighters, women, and children were discovered near abandoned military and civilian vehicles. Local residents suggested that some may have died from dehydration and exhaustion while attempting to continue their journey through the harsh terrain.
The Army Returns
Before sunset on May 19, military forces began returning from Al-Salha.
Residents said the troops arrived with captured military equipment, including vehicles, modern weapons, explosives, and other materiel. Soldiers reportedly uncovered significant weapons depots during the operation.
Residents and local observers also attributed part of the operation’s success to intelligence gathered in advance of the assault. Sudanese officials have repeatedly stated that the General Intelligence Service played an important role in supporting military operations through intelligence collection, surveillance, and counterterrorism capabilities. While operational details have not been publicly disclosed, residents said the speed with which army units located military equipment and weapons caches suggested the assault had benefited from detailed intelligence preparation.
Along the roads connecting Al-Salha, Fetehab, and the Engineers Corps area, crowds once again gathered to welcome the returning forces.
Witnesses described scenes of celebration marked by cheers, traditional ululations, tears of joy, and public expressions of relief.
In the Siraj area, soldiers and civilians joined together in victory celebrations. Gunfire rang out as residents marked what many viewed as liberation from one of the darkest chapters of the conflict.
For countless residents of western Khartoum, May 19 was more than a military victory. It was a day that symbolized survival, freedom, and the hope of a new beginning.
