Sudan’s government return to capital after nearly 3 years of war

Sudan’s military-led government has returned to the country’s capital after nearly three years of operating from its wartime base in the eastern city of Port Sudan.

Sudan’s Prime Minister Kamil Idris told reporters on Sunday that the “government of hope” was officially back in Khartoum and would begin efforts to improve services for the city’s beleaguered residents.

The military was forced out by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) when civil war erupted between the two sides in 2023. The army recaptured it in a significant breakthrough last March.

Khartoum has been recovering from years of fighting. Roughly five million fled the city at the height of the conflict, according to the UN.

Those unwilling or unable to leave described a brutal RSF occupation, which included mass looting and fighters taking over civilian homes.

Huge swathes of the city lie in ruins. In October, UN official Ugochi Daniels reported that basic services were “barely functioning”.

On Sunday, Idris said the government would work on improving electricity, water, healthcare and education in Khartoum.

He also declared that 2026 would be a “year of peace” for Sudan, where at least 150,000 people have died since the war erupt.

The UN has described the situation as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis and around 12 million people have been forced from their homes.

The war began after the head of the army, General Abdel Fattah-al Burhan fell out with his deputy and RSF leader General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, leading to a vicious struggle for power.

Both the RSF and the Sudanese military have been accused of committing atrocities throughout the conflict.

International efforts to broker peace have failed and both sides are backed by foreign powers who have poured weapons into the country.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has come under particular scrutiny recently over allegations of supporting the RSF, which it strongly denies.