CAIRO (Reuters) - Sudanese army chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan visited its strategic headquarters in central Khartoum on Sunday in his first appearance there since government forces claimed to have broken a months-long siege by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

Sudan's army chief visited on Sunday his headquarters in the capital Khartoum, two days after forces recaptured the building, which had been encircled by paramilitary fighters since the war erupted in April 2023.

The Sudanese army has broken a siege by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces of its command centre in central Khartoum, the army said on Friday, in what would be a major victory in the capital after nearly two years of war.

The Sudanese army said Saturday that it gained full control of the al-Jaili oil refinery north of the capital Khartoum. The army made the announcement in a brief statement, without providing any further details.

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 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.

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.

Sudan's army breaks through a paramilitary siege at a vital Khartoum-area base, aiming to secure its military headquarters next.