Sudan government returns to Khartoum after nearly three-year

Sudan’s military‑aligned government has formally resumed operations in Khartoum, ending almost three years of exile in the Red Sea city of Port Sudan. Prime Minister Kamil Idris told residents on 11 January that the administration had returned to the national capital and would restore public services, a move seen as a symbolic step toward stability after the devastating civil war.

Idris addressed crowds in central Khartoum, saying “Today we return, and with us returns a government of hope to the national capital,” and promised to improve electricity, water, healthcare and education services. He called 2026 “a year of peace” and said a budget had been submitted without imposing new taxes, predicting inflation would fall and economic growth would rise. Some ministries are still relocating from Port Sudan, but Idris said the return was “final and comprehensive” as reported by BBC.

How Khartoum fell and was retaken

The civilian war erupted on 15 April 2023 when rivalry between Gen. Abdel Fattah al‑Burhan’s Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Gen. Mohamed Hamdan “Hemedti” Dagalo’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) escalated into full‑scale fighting. The government fled Khartoum in April 2023 after RSF fighters overran much of the city, prompting a relocation to Port Sudan. The SAF recaptured the capital in May 2025, enabling a gradual return of government offices.

United Nations data indicate that about 1.2 million people returned to Khartoum between March and October 2025, although large sections of the city remain damaged, power and water networks are still being repaired and RSF drone strikes continue to pose risks.

According to a September 2025 briefing by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), more than two million Sudanese had returned to towns and cities across the country, and over half a million people had gone back to Khartoum out of an estimated five million who fled during the peak of the fighting. This estimate provides background on the scale of displacement from the capital.

Human cost of the war

The war has killed at least 150,000 people and displaced more than 12 million, according to UN estimates and humanitarian organisations. The United Nations calls it the world’s largest displacement and hunger crisis; by early 2026, around 9.3 million people were uprooted inside Sudan and 4.3 million had fled to neighbouring countries. Millions face acute food insecurity and the collapse of health systems. Women and children have borne a heavy burden UNICEF warns that more than five million children have been forced from their homes since April 2023.

Both the SAF and RSF have been accused of committing war crimes. The U.S. government and rights organisations say both sides have carried out attacks on civilians, murder, torture and sexual violence. A UN fact‑finding mission reported large‑scale killings and abuses during the RSF’s takeover of El Fasher in late 2025. The ongoing violence has devastated basic services across Sudan; for example, the closure of the last functioning civilian hospital in El Fasher in June 2024, after an RSF attack, highlighted the war’s impact on healthcare.

Rebuilding and political challenges

Prime Minister Idris pledged to prioritise infrastructure repairs and reopen hospitals and schools, with a particular focus on the University of Khartoum. He forecast that inflation would drop to about 70 percent and gross domestic product would grow by 10 percent. Idris also predicted that Sudan would rejoin the African Union this year, saying negotiations were underway to lift Khartoum’s suspension.

Despite the symbolic return, security analysts caution that much of Sudan remains outside government control. The RSF still holds most of the Darfur region and continues to launch drone and artillery strikes. Hundreds of thousands of civilians are besieged in cities such as El Fasher and Kadugli, where famine has already been declared. Humanitarian agencies urge a nationwide ceasefire, unhindered aid access and accountability for crimes against civilians.

International allegations and responses

Foreign involvement has complicated the conflict. Reports by independent media allege that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) supplied weapons to the RSF; Abu Dhabi denies this. In December 2025 the UAE embassy in Washington said that there is no substantiated evidence that the UAE has provided any support to the RSF or any warring parties and that all UAE aid to Sudan is humanitarian. The UAE called for a full arms embargo and urged the international community to focus on achieving a ceasefire.

Outlook

Idris’s return to Khartoum underscores the government’s determination to project stability after years of war. However, lasting peace will depend on negotiations between the army and the RSF, the restoration of basic services and the return of millions of displaced people. Humanitarian workers warn that without a durable ceasefire and substantial aid, Sudan’s humanitarian catastrophe could worsen.

Source: BBC News