Two years into a civil war, troops recaptured the palace in Khartoum, routing a paramilitary foe. Civilians have been trapped in the middle in a city with an apocalyptic air.

Sudan’s army and its supporters are celebrating across the country after troops recaptured the presidential palace in the capital, Khartoum. Friday’s victory is perhaps the army’s most symbolic since launching a key counteroffensive against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in September last year.

It follows days of heavy fighting as the army took control of areas previously held by rival paramilitary force.