Date: July 10, 2026 l Reporter: Bill James
More than a year after Sudan's military recaptured Khartoum from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), millions of displaced residents are returning to the capital only to find a city still devastated by war, with damaged infrastructure, limited public services, and an economy struggling to support daily life.
According to Reuters, more than two million of the roughly five million people who fled Khartoum since Sudan's civil war erupted in April 2023 have now returned. Many are coming back not because conditions have significantly improved, but because life as refugees—particularly in neighbouring Egypt—has become increasingly difficult due to rising living costs, legal restrictions, and shrinking humanitarian assistance.
For many returnees, the reality has been sobering. Entire neighbourhoods remain scarred by months of fighting, with destroyed homes, damaged roads, and public buildings still bearing the marks of artillery fire and airstrikes. Electricity generation has recovered to only about one-third of its pre-war capacity, leaving many communities with unreliable power supplies. Access to clean water, healthcare, education, and other essential services also remains severely limited.
The Sudanese government has instructed many civil servants, teachers, and university students to return to Khartoum as part of efforts to restore state institutions. However, numerous workers report returning to offices without electricity, internet access, functioning equipment, or even regular salaries. Many government employees and teachers say they have gone months without receiving full pay, making it difficult to rebuild their lives despite being back in the capital.
Educational institutions have also been badly affected. Reuters reported that the historic University of Khartoum remains heavily damaged after serving as a battleground during the conflict. Although students have been instructed to resume their studies, many classrooms, laboratories, and administrative buildings require extensive reconstruction before normal academic activities can fully resume.
Economic recovery has proven equally challenging. In central Khartoum's Souq al-Arabi, once one of Sudan's busiest commercial districts, shop owners are slowly reopening despite limited electricity, damaged premises, and declining purchasing power among customers. Business owners say they face pressure to resume operations while simultaneously coping with taxes, reconstruction costs, and weak consumer demand. Government officials argue that tax collection is necessary to finance rebuilding efforts, though some relief measures have reportedly been introduced for affected businesses.
Conditions are somewhat better in neighbouring Omdurman, which remained partially under Sudanese Armed Forces control during much of the conflict and therefore sustained comparatively less destruction. By contrast, parts of Khartoum and Bahri continue to experience security concerns, including periodic drone attacks attributed to the RSF targeting infrastructure and military facilities. These continuing threats complicate reconstruction efforts and discourage private investment needed to revive the capital's economy.
Sudan's civil war, which began in April 2023 following a power struggle between the Sudanese Armed Forces led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the Rapid Support Forces commanded by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, has created one of the world's largest humanitarian crises. Millions have been displaced internally or forced to seek refuge in neighbouring countries, while much of the nation's infrastructure has been destroyed by prolonged fighting.
The return of displaced residents reflects both hope and necessity. For many families, remaining abroad has become financially unsustainable, leaving them little choice but to return despite the absence of basic services. Their experiences highlight the enormous gap between military victory and genuine post-war recovery. While the Sudanese government has regained control of much of the capital, rebuilding homes, schools, hospitals, power systems, and public institutions will require years of sustained investment and political stability.
Humanitarian organisations continue to warn that reconstruction alone will not resolve Sudan's crisis unless accompanied by lasting peace, improved governance, and continued international support. Millions of Sudanese remain displaced, and many areas outside Khartoum continue to experience active conflict, particularly in Darfur and other regions where violence persists.
For returning residents, Khartoum represents both home and hardship. Although the city is gradually showing signs of life, the scars of war remain visible on nearly every street. Markets are reopening, government offices are slowly resuming operations, and families are rebuilding their lives, but the capital remains far from fully recovered. The challenge facing Sudan is no longer only reclaiming territory—it is rebuilding a nation whose people have endured years of conflict, displacement, and economic collapse.