SUDAN’S army moved to recapture the capital Khartoum from rival forces yesterday, after its leaders called for diplomatic support to form a new government.

The Sudanese army has recaptured control of parts of the city from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in recent weeks after heavy fighting in the war-torn north-east African nation.

Speaking at a meeting of Sudanese politicians supportive of the military, army leader General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan said that he was putting forward a new roadmap to a new constitution.

Gen Burhan said that this would come ahead of the formation of a transitional government.

He said: “We can call it a caretaker government, a wartime government, but it’s a government that will help us complete what remains of our military objectives, which is freeing Sudan from these rebels.”

In a statement on Sunday, the country’s foreign ministry said the roadmap established the “post-war phase” of the country and the resumption of “the inclusive political process that will culminate in holding free and fair general elections.”

The roadmap included a comprehensive national dialogue involving all political and societal forces, the selection of a civilian prime minister to lead the executive branch, constitutional amendments and the forming of a cabinet to lead transitional efforts.

The transition will allow free speech and political activities, provided they do not threaten national security, the ministry said.

The Foreign Ministry has called for the “international community, particularly the United Nations, the African Union and the Arab League, to support the roadmap presented by the state as a national consensus for establishing peace and stability and completing the task of the transition.”

The RSF still controls most of the west of the country and is engaged in an intense campaign to cement its control of the Darfur region by seizing the city of al-Fashir. 

But it has suffered major losses in Gezira state and now looks likely to be kicked out of the capital.

Since the fighting between the two former allies broke out on April 15 2023, tens of thousands of people have been killed, 12 million uprooted and it has caused one of the worst humanitarian crises in recent memory.

Both the army and the RSF have been accused by the UN and humanitarian groups of committing grave atrocities against civilians, with the US sanctioning leaders.

The RSF has been accused of carrying out genocide in the Darfur region.

Both sides in the conflict deny any wrongdoing.