Sudan lifts two-year curfew and state of emergency in Khartoum
Authorities say residents can now move around the capital at any hour, though army checkpoints and new restrictions on foreign nationals entering the city remain in place.
By Eyob Hadgu · 29 August 2026
An illustration of a curfew-hour street scene in Khartoum, where a nighttime curfew was in place for two years. Illustration: AI-generated for Asmara Post (not a photograph of an actual event)
Sudanese authorities have lifted a two-year-old night-time curfew and state of emergency in Khartoum, a decision announced by the Security Affairs Coordination Committee on 28 August following a meeting chaired by Khartoum state governor Ahmed Othman Hamza.
The curfew was first imposed in May 2024, as fighting intensified in the capital between Sudan's army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Authorities said lifting it "will allow residents to move and work around the clock."
Security measures introduced during the curfew have not been fully rolled back. Army patrols and checkpoints continue to operate across Khartoum, and residents travelling late at night have been urged to carry identification documents. Authorities have also added new restrictions on foreign nationals entering Khartoum state, barring entry by public or private transport, including trains and buses, without a valid visa or permit.
Sudan's war between the army and the RSF has continued since April 2023, and has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced an estimated 13 million, according to UN and international estimates. International agencies and analysts have cautioned against reading the army's recapture of Khartoum, or the lifting of the curfew, as evidence that the city is safe or ready for the large-scale return of displaced residents.
This report draws on reporting from BBC News: Africa and Africanews.
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