Barbara Platasha

Sudanese soldiers gather at a rallying point to prepare for war. They're in high spirits, getting ready, they hope, to take back the capital. It's the middle of the night. We got rare access on the eve of a crucial battle and climbed on board one of the army's vehicles.

Sudanese soldiers gather at a rallying point to prepare for war. They're in high spirits, getting ready, they hope, to take back the capital. It's the middle of the night. We got rare access on the eve of a crucial battle and climbed on board one of the army's vehicles.

By morning, the military had advanced. This video posted by soldiers on social media showed troops ambushing RSF fighters in central Khartoum. In another, celebrations after taking more ground from the group. Then footage of a massive explosion. The army says it destroyed an RSF convoy fleeing the presidential palace, blowing up the ammunition it was carrying.

By morning, the military had advanced. This video posted by soldiers on social media showed troops ambushing RSF fighters in central Khartoum. In another, celebrations after taking more ground from the group. Then footage of a massive explosion. The army says it destroyed an RSF convoy fleeing the presidential palace, blowing up the ammunition it was carrying.

But military successes don't ease the civilian cost of the war. We're outside the morgue at the El Nau hospital and have just seen seven bodies carried out. The victims of two recent shelling attacks, we're told. Two of them were a man and his wife, struck while taking their boy to preschool, a neighbour told us.

But military successes don't ease the civilian cost of the war. We're outside the morgue at the El Nau hospital and have just seen seven bodies carried out. The victims of two recent shelling attacks, we're told. Two of them were a man and his wife, struck while taking their boy to preschool, a neighbour told us.

Next to him, the dead man's brother, Abazar Abdelhabib, stood quietly, still in shock. We met him the next day at his local mosque. Friends gathered around him to offer a prayer for the dead. That's a regular ritual here. His community is in the line of fire between the army and the RSF. At his home, a little girl, Omnia, wakes up in pain.

Next to him, the dead man's brother, Abazar Abdelhabib, stood quietly, still in shock. We met him the next day at his local mosque. Friends gathered around him to offer a prayer for the dead. That's a regular ritual here. His community is in the line of fire between the army and the RSF. At his home, a little girl, Omnia, wakes up in pain.

She was in her mother's arms when the shell struck and escaped with only a foot injury. Her survival is seen as a miracle. She's been orphaned along with three brothers. Abazar says he'll raise them as his own.

She was in her mother's arms when the shell struck and escaped with only a foot injury. Her survival is seen as a miracle. She's been orphaned along with three brothers. Abazar says he'll raise them as his own.

A few kilometers away, the scale of death is clearly visible. This is the Ahmed Sharfi graveyard. It's one of the big traditional graveyards in the capital, and it's really expanded over the past two years. In every direction I look, I can see mound after mound of brown earth. Some of these graves have a marker, some of them do not.

A few kilometers away, the scale of death is clearly visible. This is the Ahmed Sharfi graveyard. It's one of the big traditional graveyards in the capital, and it's really expanded over the past two years. In every direction I look, I can see mound after mound of brown earth. Some of these graves have a marker, some of them do not.

There's a smell of death around this place, so it really paints a picture of what's happened here during the war. These fresh graves, we're told, hold victims of RSF fire. But both sides are condemned for war crimes. The army's accused of mass killings elsewhere. Abdin Durma is digging a grave. He did that before the war. Now he does nothing else.

There's a smell of death around this place, so it really paints a picture of what's happened here during the war. These fresh graves, we're told, hold victims of RSF fire. But both sides are condemned for war crimes. The army's accused of mass killings elsewhere. Abdin Durma is digging a grave. He did that before the war. Now he does nothing else.

Bodies come straight from the hospital, he says, 25, 30, sometimes 50 per day.

Bodies come straight from the hospital, he says, 25, 30, sometimes 50 per day.

Abdin's phone rings again. Another body is ready for burial. Watching him work, it's clear the wounds of this war will continue to haunt Sudan, whatever the military outcome.

Abdin's phone rings again. Another body is ready for burial. Watching him work, it's clear the wounds of this war will continue to haunt Sudan, whatever the military outcome.

There has been a lot of celebration at the palace because the Sudanese army recaptured it early on Friday morning. The soldiers entered the complex. It's been a real moment of victory for the army. This has been a goal that they've been wanting to achieve for a very long time. The military objective is It's sort of obvious, really.

There has been a lot of celebration at the palace because the Sudanese army recaptured it early on Friday morning. The soldiers entered the complex. It's been a real moment of victory for the army. This has been a goal that they've been wanting to achieve for a very long time. The military objective is It's sort of obvious, really.

It's to reclaim the capital, but not just parts of the capital, the center where the seat of power is. And the palace is a potent symbol of that. It's not clear, though, where the front lines are and how much the RSF has been pushed back. The army said it had regained several key locations in central Khartoum around the palace. But the RSF has said that the battle isn't over. And after the

It's to reclaim the capital, but not just parts of the capital, the center where the seat of power is. And the palace is a potent symbol of that. It's not clear, though, where the front lines are and how much the RSF has been pushed back. The army said it had regained several key locations in central Khartoum around the palace. But the RSF has said that the battle isn't over. And after the

Soldiers entered the palace. It responded with a drone strike, what they call a suicide drone strike, that is only one way. It has only one impact. The rapid support forces claim to have killed dozens. What we know is that a number of journalists who were there from Sudan State Television were killed, as well as several... senior media liaison officers from Sudan's army.

Soldiers entered the palace. It responded with a drone strike, what they call a suicide drone strike, that is only one way. It has only one impact. The rapid support forces claim to have killed dozens. What we know is that a number of journalists who were there from Sudan State Television were killed, as well as several... senior media liaison officers from Sudan's army.

So this is a way for the RSF to say we're still here and that even if we've been pushed out physically, we can still attack remotely.

So this is a way for the RSF to say we're still here and that even if we've been pushed out physically, we can still attack remotely.

Yes, it is because losing the capital was a big defeat for the Sudanese government. RSF took it over very early in the war and the Sudanese government and army had to move their operations essentially to Port Sudan. They are the de facto government but they're not in the capital. And Khartoum is centrally located. Khartoum has all of the strategic institutions.

Yes, it is because losing the capital was a big defeat for the Sudanese government. RSF took it over very early in the war and the Sudanese government and army had to move their operations essentially to Port Sudan. They are the de facto government but they're not in the capital. And Khartoum is centrally located. Khartoum has all of the strategic institutions.

And as long as the RSF was holding it, it was holding more than its natural homeland, its natural base, which is the west of the country, Darfur. For all those reasons, it's a very important step for the army. to be able to take back the capital. Now, as I said, there will still be fighting as the RSF fighters are still in the city.

And as long as the RSF was holding it, it was holding more than its natural homeland, its natural base, which is the west of the country, Darfur. For all those reasons, it's a very important step for the army. to be able to take back the capital. Now, as I said, there will still be fighting as the RSF fighters are still in the city.

They do control an area to the south and the military has indicated that the offensive will continue to push them out.

They do control an area to the south and the military has indicated that the offensive will continue to push them out.

The army has made significant gains in certain parts of the country, especially in central Sudan. This was Jazeera State, which the RSF took over sort of a surprise attack because it's really outside of its natural range of control. The army took that back a couple of months ago, and since then it has really been on the forward foot.

The army has made significant gains in certain parts of the country, especially in central Sudan. This was Jazeera State, which the RSF took over sort of a surprise attack because it's really outside of its natural range of control. The army took that back a couple of months ago, and since then it has really been on the forward foot.

pushing from the central Sudan towards Khartoum, coming towards Khartoum from the north as well, coming at it from all different sides, clearing the districts of the city and then culminating in the center, squeezing the RSF there and trapping them there in order to get control. So they have taken back large parts of Sudan.

pushing from the central Sudan towards Khartoum, coming towards Khartoum from the north as well, coming at it from all different sides, clearing the districts of the city and then culminating in the center, squeezing the RSF there and trapping them there in order to get control. So they have taken back large parts of Sudan.

Having said that, the RSF has the west of Sudan and also parts of the south. So what you're seeing actually is a hardening of divisions there. between zones of control of the army and the RSF.

Having said that, the RSF has the west of Sudan and also parts of the south. So what you're seeing actually is a hardening of divisions there. between zones of control of the army and the RSF.