As Sudanese City Returns to Life After Two-Year Siege, Drone Threat Lingers

After nearly two years of isolation, hunger, and constant shelling, parts of a once-thriving Sudanese city are cautiously returning to life. Markets have reopened, children are back in makeshift classrooms, and families are attempting to rebuild homes reduced to rubble. Yet despite the visible signs of recovery, fear still hangs in the air as drone attacks and sporadic fighting continue to threaten fragile stability.
The city, located near the conflict-scarred capital region of Khartoum, had been under siege since fighting erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in April 2023. Roads were blocked, electricity cut, and medical supplies depleted as residents endured months of bombardment and starvation.
Now, with front lines shifted and some checkpoints lifted, civilians are slowly returning to neighborhoods that had been abandoned. Street vendors have resumed selling vegetables and tea, while small workshops are repairing bicycles, phones, and generators. “We survived on dried bread and rainwater for months,” said Ahmed, a shopkeeper who reopened his grocery stall last week. “It feels like the city is breathing again.”
Hospitals that were once overwhelmed or destroyed are beginning to function with limited capacity. Volunteer doctors and aid workers have re-established clinics using donated equipment and emergency supplies brought in through newly accessible routes. However, health services remain fragile. Many medical professionals fled during the siege, and medicine shortages persist.
Despite the return of daily activity, danger has not disappeared. Drone attacks have become a defining feature of the conflict’s latest phase. Residents report hearing buzzing sounds overhead, followed by explosions targeting military positions or suspected supply routes. While the strikes are often aimed at fighters, civilians are frequently caught in the crossfire.
“Drones don’t distinguish between soldiers and families,” said Fatima, a mother of four whose home was damaged by a blast last month. “We are rebuilding, but every time we hear one, we run inside and pray.”
Security analysts say drones have changed the nature of the war. Once dominated by ground battles and artillery fire, the conflict now includes long-range aerial surveillance and targeted strikes. Both sides accuse each other of using drones to intimidate civilian populations and disrupt humanitarian efforts.
International organizations warn that renewed attacks could reverse the fragile recovery. Aid agencies are attempting to expand food and medical assistance but face challenges due to insecurity and damaged infrastructure. Power lines and water systems remain unreliable, forcing residents to depend on generators and wells.
The humanitarian toll remains staggering. Millions across Sudan have been displaced since the war began, with entire communities pushed into refugee camps or neighboring countries. Those returning to the city describe scenes of devastation: schools reduced to shells, mosques burned, and markets looted.
Local leaders have formed neighborhood committees to organize clean-up efforts and mediate disputes. Young volunteers sweep debris from streets and repair shattered windows using scrap wood and plastic sheets. These grassroots efforts have become symbols of resilience in a city that many feared would never recover.
Still, residents say peace feels temporary. Nighttime curfews remain in place, and many families sleep in one room for safety. The sound of distant gunfire is common after dark, reminding everyone that the conflict is far from over.
Diplomatic efforts to broker a ceasefire have so far failed to bring lasting peace. Talks mediated by regional and international partners have stalled repeatedly, while clashes continue in multiple parts of the country.
For now, people are focused on survival and small victories—opening a shop, planting vegetables, or sending children back to school. “We don’t know what tomorrow will bring,” said Ahmed. “But today, at least, we can live.”
As the city struggles to rise from the ruins of a two-year siege, its future remains uncertain. Life is returning, but under the constant shadow of drones and renewed violence, the path to lasting peace still seems distant.