Sudan Lifts Khartoum Curfew and State of Emergency
Sudan's military-led government has lifted a curfew and state of emergency in Khartoum that had been in place for more than two years, according to state media. The move, announced by the Security Affairs Coordination Committee after a meeting chaired by Khartoum Governor Ahmed Othman Hamza, is intended to help residents move and work around the clock and restore normal life to the capital.
The curfew was originally introduced in May 2024 as fighting intensified between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The army recaptured Khartoum 18 months ago, but clashes continue in the south and west of the country, with mounting evidence that the conflict is spilling across Sudan's borders.
Despite the easing of restrictions, security remains tight. Army patrols and checkpoints will continue operating across the capital, and residents travelling late at night have been urged to carry identification documents. Authorities have also imposed new restrictions on foreign nationals entering Khartoum State: entry by public or private transport, including trains and buses, is prohibited unless travellers hold valid visas or permits.
According to the International Organization for Migration, more than two million of the roughly five million people who fled Khartoum after the war erupted in April 2023 have returned to the city since fighting there ended in March 2025. The government has reopened the city's main airport for some flights and is encouraging businesses and embassies to come back.
However, residents still struggle to rebuild their livelihoods. Many have returned to find widespread damage and looting, and they face constant power blackouts due to alleged RSF drone attacks on electricity infrastructure and a lack of government funds for repairs. A spokesperson for the Khartoum state government, Altayeb Saadeldin, told Reuters that "the targeting of the electricity sector in particular was very significant," citing looting of copper wires, fuel and other components, as well as drone attacks, as reasons for the outages. An RSF source rejected the allegations as "incorrect and army propaganda."
The authorities remain wary of RSF infiltration. The Sudan News Agency said security patrols would continue across the state, and reports compiled by BBC Monitoring indicate the army is carrying out security sweeps across greater Khartoum, targeting alleged RSF sleeper cells, undocumented foreigners and criminals.
The broader conflict, which began in April 2023, has killed tens of thousands and forced around 13 million people from their homes, according to UN and international estimates.
Regional Tensions and International Concerns
The lifting of the curfew comes amid heightened regional tensions. Chad has accused the Sudanese army of carrying out an air strike on 20 August that hit a military convoy in Ennedi-Est province, about 100km (62 miles) inside Chadian territory, and has reportedly put its forces along the border on maximum alert. Sudan rejected the charge, with the foreign ministry stating it "affirms that the Sudanese army fulfils its constitutional duty to defend Sudan's sovereignty, security and territorial integrity."
In turn, Sudan accuses Chad of permitting the passage of RSF military supplies delivered by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) through its airports and border crossings. Both Chad and the UAE deny these allegations, despite similar findings by UN experts and investigative reports by international media.
US Senior Adviser for Arab and African Affairs, Massad Boulos, has expressed "deep concern" about the risk of Sudan's war threatening regional peace and stability. He has been urging the parties to immediately accept a humanitarian truce, saying "there is no military solution to this conflict - and absolutely no justification for expanding the violence beyond Sudan's borders." He added: "External financial and military support to the warring parties must stop."
This month, the US envoy presented a draft resolution to the UN Security Council that would extend a 2005 weapons embargo on Darfur across the entire country and include a ban on attack drones. Sudan's government and army have rejected the proposal, with officials arguing that it unfairly equates the recognised national military with a paramilitary force and restricts its ability to defend citizens against an insurgency.