In May 2008, the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), a Darfur ethnic minority rebel group, undertook a raid against the Sudanese government in the cities of Omdurman and Khartoum.

Overall, the war had claimed the lives of up to 300,000 people, with 2.5 million more made homeless since 2003 (the United States has labeled the conflict in Darfur as genocide, a charge the Sudanese government has rejected).

On May 10, 2008, Sudanese National Islamic Front (NIF) government troops and a large group of rebels from Darfur fought in the city of Omdurman, opposite of Khartoum.

The rebels then started to move towards the Al-Ingaz bridge to cross the White Nile into Khartoum in an apparent attempt to reach the Presidential Palace, while another JEM force headed towards the National Radio and Television building in Omdurman.

[17] On the same day, JEM leader Khalil Ibrahim spoke by telephone to the Associated Press claiming to still be within Omdurman with his fighters, and vowed to continue attacks in a long guerrilla war.

[20] Ibrahim ruled out any ceasefire with Khartoum unless a political accord is signed, accused the international community of impotence in its response to the Darfur crisis, and hailed the position of the Sudanese Communist Party for not condemning the attack.

[2] By April 2009, the Sudanese government had sentenced 82 Justice and Equality Movement members, including the top rebel Abdul Aziz Ashur, Ibrahim's half-brother, to death by hanging for terrorism and illegal possession of weapons.

"[6][22] By November 2009, the number of these sentenced for death surpassed 100, including six JEM child soldiers; however, scores of other children accused of taking part in the raid were pardoned and freed by al-Bashir.