By Khalid Abdelaziz, Jana Choukeir and Nafisa EltahirDUBAI/CAIRO (Reuters) -The Sudanese army seized full control of the presidential palace in downtown Khartoum on Friday, it said in a statement, in what would be a major gain in a two-year-old conflict with a rival armed group that has threatened to partition the country.

Sudan's military has reportedly retaken the Republican Palace in Khartoum after almost 2 years of fighting, marking a symbolic victory for its military against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.

The Sudanese army seized full control of the presidential palace in downtown Khartoum on Friday, it said in a statement, in what would be a major gain in a two-year-old conflict with a rival armed group that has threatened to partition the country.