As Sudan's civil war nears the two-year mark, its army says it is on the verge of taking back Khartoum’s presidential palace from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.

What happened: Sudan’s state TV reported on Thursday that the Sudanese Armed Forces has encircled and is close to taking control of the palace, which lies just south of the Blue Nile River in central Khartoum. 

On Wednesday night and Thursday morning, clashes erupted near the palace and explosions and airstrikes could be heard, according to Reuters, which cited witnesses and military sources. The SAF reportedly launched its attack on the palace Wednesday night in an attempt to take back the building. A military source told AFP that the army had advanced to within 500 meters of the palace and has "destroyed a RSF convoy of 30 vehicles attempting to withdraw southward."

The Sudan Tribune on Thursday reported that both sides used artillery, drones and armored vehicles during the fight. The Sudan Tribune also reported that the RSF had attempted to bring in reinforcements from southern Khartoum on Thursday, but the Sudanese army had managed to cut off any route allowing reinforcements using air power and artillery forces. 

The RSF reportedly suffered heavy losses both among its members and its combat equipment, though casualty numbers remain unclear.

Videos of the battle circulating on social media show fires near the palace and heavy shelling in the vicinity of the palace. 

Neither the SAF nor the RSF has made any official comment on the latest battle outside of the palace. 

For most of the conflict, which broke out in April 2023, the palace, along with the vast majority of Khartoum, has remained an RSF stronghold. The RSF still currently holds a number of key locations in Sudan’s capital, including the airport, the central bank, the Zain telecommunications tower and various government buildings.

The RSF is a paramilitary force that grew out of the Janjaweed militia that committed mass atrocities in Darfur in the early 2000s. In 2015, autocratic ruler Omar al-Bashir's government granted it official recognition as a "regular force," solidifying its legitimacy. 

Why it matters: The gains followed months of the RSF besieging the armored corps in southwest Khartoum. The SAF broke the siege on Jan. 24 and has been advancing since.