The Sudanese army broke a paramilitary siege on one of its key Khartoum-area bases on Friday, paving the way to also freeing the besieged military headquarters, a military source said.

The Sudanese army and rival paramilitaries traded blame on Thursday over targeting a major oil refinery north of the capital Khartoum, where clashes between the warring sides have intensified.

KHARTOUM. – Sudan’s government and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) traded accusations yesterday over a fire at the Khartoum oil refinery, a key piece of infrastructure that has been under RSF control since fighting erupted in April.

The RSF, for its part, claimed on Wednesday that its fighters had confronted an attack by the Sudanese army near the Al-Jeili oil refinery. The facility is Sudan's largest oil refinery and has been controlled by the RSF since the eruption of the current conflict in April 2023.

The Sudanese army said Wednesday it had launched a multi-pronged attack reaching areas near the Khartoum oil refinery, 70 kilometres (43 miles) north of the capital. It is the first time the army has reported a presence near the strategic facility since the conflict began in April.