A minibus drives past an empty checkpoint where a mannequin dressed as a soldier stands in downtown Khartoum, Sudan, April 19, 2026 -

Last updated: 31 minutes ago

Sudan

As Sudan's civil war enters its fourth year, its capital Khartoum is slowly returning to life but the challenges ahead are daunting.

Three years into the war and a year after Khartoum was taken over by the Sudanese army, the battered heart of the capital city still remains quiet.

The remnants of war remain as many major buildings, including the Corinthia hotel, one of the city's largest, still stands completely blown out.

The Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces had some of their fiercest battles in the capital.

In the heart of Khartoum is the Arab souk, previously selling everything from gold to electronics, but now a ghost town.

In May 2025, the Sudanese Army took full control of the city.

The military’s seizure of capital and other urban areas in central Sudan in early 2025 did allow the return of about 4 million people to their homes, the United Nations' migration agency said in March.

But they struggle with damaged infrastructure and other challenges.

Electricity and water services have slowly restarted in the capital.

The war has killed at least 59,000 people, according to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project, known as ACLED.

The US-based war tracking group said its toll was almost certainly low given difficulties in reporting.

Millions of people have been displaced, creating what the UN has called the world's worst humanitarian crisis. The Red Cross estimates that some 33 million people across Sudan are in need of humanitarian assistance.

Khartoum slowly returns to normal, one year after military recapture

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