Sudan's military-led government has lifted a night-time curfew and state of emergency in Khartoum, the capital, which had been in place for more than two years as the country's devastating civil war entered its fourth year. The decision, announced by the Security Affairs Coordination Committee following a meeting chaired by Khartoum Governor Ahmed Othman Hamza, allows residents to move and work around the clock — a step authorities say is intended to help restore normal life to a city that bore the brunt of intense urban fighting.
The curfew was introduced in May 2024 as clashes between Sudan's national army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) reached their peak in Khartoum. The army retook control of the capital in March 2025, and since then more than two million of the roughly five million people who fled after war erupted in April 2023 have returned, according to the International Organization for Migration. The government has also reopened the main airport for some flights and is encouraging businesses and foreign embassies to resume operations. However, the city's recovery remains slow and painful: residents are confronted with widespread damage, looted buildings, and persistent power blackouts that authorities attribute partly to RSF drone strikes on electricity infrastructure and a lack of funds for repairs. The RSF has denied responsibility, calling the allegations army propaganda.
Despite the formal easing of restrictions, security measures remain firmly in place. Army patrols and checkpoints continue to operate across the capital, and residents moving late at night are required to carry identification documents. Foreign nationals seeking to enter Khartoum State by public or private transport — including trains and buses — must show valid visas or permits. Authorities say they remain on guard against RSF infiltration, and security sweeps targeting alleged RSF sleeper cells are ongoing across greater Khartoum.
The lifting of the curfew comes as the war shows signs of spreading beyond Sudan's borders, raising alarm among regional and international actors. Chad has accused the Sudanese army of carrying out an air strike that struck a military convoy inside Chadian territory in Ennedi-Est province on 20 August, prompting Ndjamena to place its border forces on maximum alert. Sudan rejected the accusation and called for an independent investigation. The incident drew a sharp rebuke from Massad Boulos, the US Senior Adviser for Arab and African Affairs, who condemned the strikes and reiterated that there is