KHARTOUM, May 20 (Xinhua) -- One year after the Sudanese military declared the capital free of paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), Khartoum remains a city struggling under the weight of destroyed infrastructure, disease outbreaks, and an uncertain path to recovery.
The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) announced on May 20, 2025, that they had expelled the RSF from Khartoum state after more than two years of urban warfare that gutted large parts of the city and displaced millions of residents. Twelve months later, the scale of destruction continues to overshadow the signs of recovery.
Authorities have worked to restore government institutions and basic services, and many residents have gradually returned to parts of the capital. But large areas still face severe shortages of electricity, health care and sanitation.
The central government returned to Khartoum in January after operating out of Port Sudan since the conflict erupted in April 2023. Sudanese political analyst Mohamed Al-Amin said the move carried political and symbolic weight, but warned that the capital remained fragile.
"The government's return does not mean Khartoum has recovered," he said, citing ongoing challenges tied to reconstruction, public services, and restoring public confidence in state institutions.
Security has improved in some areas, with police redeployed across parts of the city and army checkpoints established near bridges and government facilities. But military expert Abdul-Jalil Ismail said unexploded ordnance, damaged infrastructure and instability in surrounding areas continued to pose serious risks.
Basic services remain strained. Electricity is among the most pressing problems, following widespread damage to substations and transmission lines during the fighting. The UN Development Program said this week that damage to Sudan's power grid exceeded 3 billion U.S. dollars.
Economic expert Essam El-Din Yousif said the scale of destruction exceeded the government's current financial capacity and warned that unreliable electricity was disrupting industry, health care, and education.
The health sector has struggled to keep pace. Sudan's Health Ministry said more than 80 percent of hospitals and health centers in Khartoum state had resumed operations by the end of April. Still, shortages of medical staff, medicines, and equipment persist.
Health expert Ahmed Abdul-Rahman warned that disease outbreaks remained a serious concern due to poor sanitation and waste accumulation in parts of the capital. "Dengue fever remains one of the most serious health threats in Khartoum," he said.
Residents who have returned say conditions remain far from normal.
"We hope Khartoum can recover, but people are still suffering," said Abbas Hassan, a Khartoum resident. "Electricity is unstable, services are weak, and many areas are still damaged."
The conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF, which began in mid-April 2023, has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions within Sudan and into neighboring countries.
