The Road Back: Khartoum Residents Brave Uncertainties in War-torn Sudan

Abdulilah Mohamed, who fled civil war in Sudan, returns to assess his family's home in Khartoum, which was ravaged by fighting. Amidst ongoing conflict between the Sudanese army and paramilitary RSF, residents face uncertainty. With rebuilding efforts, some cautiously return, inspired by hope and longing.

The long shadows cast by the morning sun greeted Abdulilah Mohamed as he returned to Sharg Elnil, a neighborhood in Khartoum, Sudan, from which he had fled because of the civil war.

Two years of brutal conflict between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) left his family home barely standing. Debris strewn across the streets testified to the chaos that had consumed the area. 'They left nothing behind,' Mohamed lamented, recounting the destruction wrought by RSF forces.

Now, with the army regaining ground, a cautious stream of residents returns. Residents like Mohamed Ali note a growing sense of security. Yet, for many, the path back remains fraught with challenges, with hope pinned on the government’s ability to restore utilities and services.