Sudan’s government has returned to Khartoum after almost two years of war

Prime Minister Kamel Idris announces the formal return of government to the capital as Sudan commemorates 1,000 days of conflict.

After nearly two years of civil war, Sudan’s government has officially returned to Khartoum, marking the significant milestone of 1,000 days of conflict.

“We are back today,” Prime Minister Kamel Idris announced on Sunday, proclaiming the return of a “government of hope” to Sudan’s national capital.

In April 2023, the government relocated from Khartoum to Port Sudan following the takeover of the city by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). After nearly two years of intense conflict, forces aligned with army chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhane systematically reclaimed the capital, neighborhood by neighborhood, ultimately announcing its “liberation” in March 2025.

Two months after his appointment as prime minister, Idris has committed to revitalizing public services, which includes the reconstruction of hospitals, schools, water systems, electricity supply, and sanitation networks, aiming to rejuvenate a city ravaged by war.

Authorities report that over one million people have already made their way back to Khartoum.

The United Nations has cautioned that the conflict remains unresolved, as fighting persists between army forces and the RSF in the Kordofan region.