Sudan authorities lift Khartoum curfew, state of emergency after two years

Sudanese authorities have lifted a curfew and state of emergency in Khartoum after two years, allowing residents of the capital to move freely as the government seeks to project an improving security picture, despite warnings from international agencies that serious risks remain.

The measure was announced on Thursday by the government’s Security Affairs Coordination Committee, which said people would be able to travel and work across the city without time restrictions. Previously, movement by people and vehicles had been restricted between 11pm and 5am.

Following a meeting chaired by Khartoum Governor Ahmed Othman Hamza, the committee said security checkpoints and army patrols would remain in place. It advised residents travelling late at night to carry identification.

The committee also barred foreign nationals from entering Khartoum State without valid entry visas or permits.

Authorities introduced the curfew introduced in May 2024, citing deteriorating security conditions in Khartoum amid fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

Following the outbreak of the war in April 2023, the RSF seized the presidential palace, Khartoum International Airport and much of the capital and its wider tri-city metropolitan area. The SAF retained a foothold in Omdurman, west of the Nile.

In late September 2024, the army launched a major offensive across Khartoum State. It eventually recaptured Khartoum city at the end of March 2025, pushing out remaining RSF positions from much of the state.

Since then, the government has returned to Khartoum from its temporary administrative base in Port Sudan, seeking to re-establish the capital as the centre of state administration.

Risks remain for returnees

International agencies and analysts have cautioned against treating the army’s recapture of the city, or the lifting of the curfew, as proof that Khartoum is safe or ready for a large-scale return of displaced residents.

In a report released on Friday, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, described major challenges facing people returning to Khartoum State, as the effects of the war continue to endanger civilian life. The agency highlighted security concerns in some areas of the state, particularly at night, when reports of shootings, theft and drone activity are most frequent.

Drone attacks remain a threat in parts of Khartoum State. On 13 August, RSF drones targeted the capital, prompting anti-aircraft fire from Omdurman as residents reported explosions.

UNHCR also warned of the threat from unexploded ordnance, saying that "safety risks from unexploded ordnance remain present in some areas". It said returnees were confronting "interlinked challenges that constrain their ability to reintegrate sustainably", including unreliable electricity, limited access to basic services and a shortage of adequate housing.