Signs of economic life are returning to parts of Khartoum, Sudan's capital, months after the Sudanese Armed Forces retook the city from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.
In central Khartoum and neighboring Omdurman, traders have reopened shops with customers slowly returning. They said it offered some hope that the heavy fighting once gripping the capital and forcing millions to flee was a thing of the past.
"Al-Sajana market is starting to recover, and this is a positive development. We have now emerged from a very dangerous phase. Our goods were stolen during the war, but now we have started to return and open our shops," said Abdulghaffar Al-Sharif, a merchant at the Al-Sajana Market.
Others said the revival of trade has brought a sense of normalcy.
"Market activity has returned strongly, especially in Omdurman. These areas have witnessed a revival, as if Omdurman has returned to its pre-war state. There is a smooth flow of services, merchants, and goods," said Abu Ubaida Barakat, a local resident.
Industry has also been showing signs of life. At a flour mill in the Qari industrial area, operations have resumed after more than two years of disruption.
"We resumed operations, completed maintenance, and restarted production. These mills are producing 1,200 tons per day and employ over 500 workers. This is a promising sign for food production and food security," said Mohamed Ali, operations manager of the Rotana Flour Mills.
But economists warned that these improvements come amid massive losses, and many businesses will need significant support to get back on their feet.
"Reconstruction requires substantial funds because the destruction of infrastructure and factories was extensive. The industrial sector lost around 75 to 80 percent of its capacity," said Mohamed El-Nair, a professor at Almughtaribeen University.
Analysts said while markets and some services are returning, the weakened currency, damaged infrastructure, and disruption to the banking system continue to weigh heavily on Sudan's broader economic recovery.
Meanwhile, fierce fighting continues across many other parts of the country, as the army and the paramilitary continue their struggle for power and territory. Millions of desperate people await a resolution and peace so they can return to their former lives and join their compatriots in Khartoum.
Sudan has been engulfed in a deadly conflict since April 15, 2023, when fighting broke out between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, leaving tens of thousands dead and millions displaced within the country and across its borders.
Trade resumes in parts of Sudan's war-ravaged capital Khartoum
Trade resumes in parts of Sudan's war-ravaged capital Khartoum
Trade resumes in parts of Sudan's war-ravaged capital Khartoum
