Sudan’s prime minister has announced the official return of the government to Khartoum, marking a symbolic milestone as the country passes 1,000 days of civil war. “We are back today,” Prime Minister Kamel Idris said on Sunday, describing the move as the return of a “government of hope” to the capital. The announcement follows months of military gains by the Sudanese Armed Forces against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The government relocated to Port Sudan in April 2023 after intense fighting saw the RSF seize much of Khartoum. After nearly two years of urban warfare, forces loyal to army chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhane gradually recaptured the city, with the army declaring Khartoum “liberated” in March 2025.
Idris, appointed prime minister two months later, said the priority is restoring basic services in a city badly damaged by fighting. Plans include rebuilding hospitals, schools, water and sanitation systems, and restoring electricity and transport networks. The United Nations estimates that more than one million people have begun returning to Khartoum, despite widespread destruction and limited services. However, the conflict is far from over. The UN says heavy fighting continues in parts of Kordofan and other regions, while Sudan remains the world’s largest displacement and hunger crisis after nearly three years of war between the army and the RSF.
