KHARTOUM, Sudan

The Sudanese army said Saturday that it gained full control of the al-Jaili oil refinery north of the capital Khartoum.

The army made the announcement in a brief statement, without providing any further details.

Footage shared by activists on social media showed Sudanese army soldiers positioned at the gates of the al-Jaili oil refinery and inside the facility.

There was no immediate comment from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group on the army’s statement.

ON Friday, the army said that it had ended a siege imposed by the RSF on the Signal Corps headquarters in the city of Bahri near Khartoum.

By securing the al-Jaili refinery, the Sudanese army has now extended its control over the northern parts of Bahri, including neighborhoods near the city center.

The RSF, meanwhile, retains control over the eastern parts of Bahri, a few neighborhoods in the city center, and the El Mek Nimr Bridge connecting Bahri to Khartoum.

The al-Jaili refinery, established in the 1990s, is Sudan's largest oil refining facility. It is located in northern Bahri, an area that had been under RSF control since the conflict erupted in mid-April 2023.

The conflict between the Sudanese army and RSF has resulted in over 20,000 deaths and displaced or forced into refuge approximately 14 million people, according to the UN and local authorities. A separate study by US universities estimated fatalities at 130,000.

International and UN calls to end the war have intensified as Sudan faces a deepening humanitarian crisis. With the fighting extending to 13 of Sudan's 18 states, millions are at risk of famine and death due to food shortages.
*Writing by Ikram Kouachi