In Sudan, Rebels Seize Unique Khalifa-2 SPG

In Sudan, government forces lost a unique Khalifa-2 wheeled artillery system.

A video of the captured 122 mm artillery system was posted on the social network X.

The rapid support forces are local rebels/militants. They were captured from local government troops.

Fighting between the Army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has now escalated in the East African country.

The clashes between the Army and the Sudanese Rapid Reaction Forces, which began in April 2023, have been going on for 22 months.

Fighting began in many areas of the capital Khartoum and then spread to 13 of the 18 states.

The Sudanese army dominates the northern and eastern parts of the country, while the RSF retains power in the southern and western regions and in the center of Khartoum.

The captured Khalifa-2 artillery system was used to fire at the positions of the Rapid Response Forces.

The self-propelled artillery system was developed by the Sudanese company Military Industry Corporation.

The system is a combination of a Soviet D-30 towed howitzer with a 6×6 Ural-4320 truck.

The first version of Khalifa-1 was created on the chassis of a modified KAMAZ-43118 truck with a 6×6 wheel configuration.

When deployed, the rear hydraulic base plate is lowered into a combat position, which also serves as a platform for quick access to ammunition for the crew.

The maximum range of the vehicle depends on the type of projectile and charge, but it is said to be 17 km.

Hostilities

In late January, the Sudanese government forces announced that they had managed to break through the siege of the Rapid Support Forces around the command center of the communications troops in the city of North Khartoum.

North Khartoum is located on the right bank of the Blue Nile near its confluence with the White Nile. The Sudanese capital Khartoum is located on the other bank.

Back in late September 2024, it was reported that the Sudanese army had launched a large-scale offensive in Khartoum.

In October last year, the militants from the Rapid Support Force shot down an IL-76 with Russian citizens on board.