Sudan’s Prime Minister, Kamil Idris, has announced the return of the country’s government to Khartoum, nearly three years after it relocated to Port Sudan following the outbreak of civil war.
The army-aligned government fled the capital in April 2023 after fighting erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), with rival troops quickly overrunning large parts of Khartoum. Since the army recaptured the city last March, authorities have pursued a phased return to the capital.
Speaking to reporters in Khartoum on Sunday, Prime Minister Idris described the move as a symbol of renewal for the war-ravaged city.
“Today, we return, and the Government of Hope returns to the national capital,” he said. “We promise better services, improved healthcare, the reconstruction of hospitals, the development of educational services, and improvements in electricity, water and sanitation.”
For nearly two years, greater Khartoum — comprising Khartoum, Omdurman and Khartoum North (Bahri) — was the epicentre of intense fighting. Entire neighbourhoods were besieged, artillery was fired across the Nile, and millions of residents were forced to flee their homes.
The government’s return marks a significant step in efforts to restore normalcy and rebuild the capital after prolonged conflict.
