The Sniper’s Nest
The New York Times
Exploring an image of Sgt. Maj. Ismail Hassan of the Sudanese Army at a sniper position in a luxury apartment block across the Blue Nile from Sudan’s presidential palace.
Four years ago, this was a prime riverside location in the capital of a nation that seemed to be inching toward democracy. Then came a military coup, and then almost two years of civil war, as the army and the Rapid Support Forces, its powerful paramilitary partner, turned on one another.
By March 12, when this photograph was taken, the river was more or less the front line.
This apartment block sits on the northern bank; the presidential palace, an emblem of power for centuries, is on the southern bank.
The R.S.F. took most of Khartoum, Sudan’s capital, in April 2023. The army held on to only a few bases across the city.
In recent months, as part of a vast counteroffensive, the army and militias allied with it have gradually reclaimed much of the north and east of the city.
On Friday, the military celebrated reclaiming the palace. Next, it hopes to drive the R.S.F. out of Khartoum entirely.
