Millions of Sudanese have returned to Khartoum, the capital city, after fleeing due to war between the army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in 2023. The city, however, is still reeling from the devastating effects of the conflict, with large parts reduced to rubble. About four million people fled Khartoum, but an estimated 2.7 million have returned since the army recaptured the city last year. They are now faced with the harsh realities of living in a city with a chronic lack of power, water, jobs, and medicine.
The city's infrastructure is still in shambles, with electricity and water going out for days at a time. Although markets are open again, many people are unemployed and have little money to spend. Businessman Emad Khaled said he was sending his family back to Egypt, while he remains in Khartoum for work, describing the decision to bring his family back as a mistake. Multiple government officials also told AFP they were leaving their families outside the country.
Fighting between the armed forces and RSF is still ongoing in other regions of Sudan, including Darfur, Kordofan, and Blue Nile. The army has encouraged residents to return to Khartoum by rebuilding the airport and reopening it for domestic flights, as well as patching up infrastructure. However, the city's working-class neighborhoods have seen the highest numbers of returnees, while upscale districts such as Khartoum 2 remain abandoned.
The lack of medical care is a significant challenge for returnees, with physician Haifa Omar saying that some essential medicines are not available. Patients are often asked to buy medicines on their own, which is difficult for many people given the economic situation. College professor Imam Babiker has to visit multiple pharmacies to find his father's blood pressure medication, and even then, the price changes daily.
Returnees have also faced challenges in accessing basic necessities like food and water. Souad Mohamed, 49, had her fridge stolen by looters and couldn't afford a replacement, forcing her to buy vegetables and meat daily at rising prices. Others have chosen to leave again, with Thuraya Babiker, 86, deciding to leave for the United Arab Emirates with her husband and youngest daughter due to the lack of medical care.
The situation in Khartoum is dire, with the city's university students being told to return despite the challenges. Khartoum University medical professors have threatened to resign en masse in protest, while students complain they are being forced back. An undergraduate management student said she missed in-person exams and is now scrambling for scholarships in Egypt to restart college from scratch.
The UN has declared only one percent of Khartoum safe, with dozens of children killed and injured by booby-traps and unexploded shells. Nearly half a million people have returned from neighboring Egypt, where 1.5 million Sudanese sought shelter but faced soaring living costs, racial persecution, arrests, and deportations. The city's future remains uncertain, with many residents struggling to survive in a city that is a shell of its former self.
Key points
- Chronic power cuts, water shortages, and joblessness plague returnees in Khartoum.
- Many residents face difficulties accessing medical care, with some essential medicines unavailable.
- The city's infrastructure is still in shambles, with large parts reduced to rubble.
