Sudan's military-led government has lifted a curfew and state of emergency in Khartoum that had been in place for over two years, according to state media. This decision comes 18 months after the army regained control of the capital from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), amid a civil war that has now entered its fourth year. Clashes continue in southern and western regions, with indications that the conflict is spreading beyond Sudan's borders.
More than two million of the approximately five million individuals who fled Khartoum following the outbreak of war in April 2023 have returned since fighting ceased in March 2025, as reported by the International Organization for Migration. The lifting of the curfew aims to facilitate the restoration of normalcy in the capital.
The government has reopened the main airport for limited flights and is encouraging businesses and embassies to return. However, residents face challenges in rebuilding their lives, with significant damage reported, including looted buildings and ongoing power outages attributed to alleged RSF drone attacks on electricity infrastructure and insufficient government funding for repairs.
Altayeb Saadeldin, a spokesperson for the Khartoum state government, stated that the targeting of the electricity sector has been substantial, citing looting and drone attacks as contributing factors to the outages. An RSF source countered these claims, labeling them as incorrect and part of army propaganda.
Despite the lifting of the state of emergency, authorities remain cautious of RSF infiltration. The Sudan News Agency reported that security patrols will continue, and locals traveling at night must carry identification documents. Reports indicate that the army is conducting security sweeps in greater Khartoum to target alleged RSF sleeper cells and undocumented foreigners.
Concerns are rising that the conflict may involve neighboring countries. Chad has accused the Sudanese army of conducting an airstrike on a military convoy in Ennedi-Est province, approximately 100 kilometers inside Chadian territory, on August 20. Chad has reportedly placed its forces along the border on high alert. Sudan has denied the accusation, expressing surprise at being blamed without an independent investigation.
The Sudanese foreign ministry asserted that the army is committed to defending the country's sovereignty and security while respecting neighboring states' sovereignty. Sudan has accused Chad of allowing the passage of RSF military supplies from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which both the UAE and Chad deny, despite findings by UN experts.
The airstrike on the Chadian convoy prompted US Senior Adviser for Arab and African Affairs, Massad Boulos, to express deep concern regarding the potential for Sudan's conflict to threaten regional peace and stability. He has urged all parties to accept a humanitarian truce and has expressed frustration with the Sudanese military's refusal to engage in peace talks unless the RSF disarms.
Boulos stated, "The United States condemns the SAF's recent air strikes inside Chad. There is no military solution to this conflict - and absolutely no justification for expanding the violence beyond Sudan's borders. 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 aimed at extending a 2005 weapons embargo on Darfur to the entire country, including a ban on attack drones, which are increasingly utilized by both sides. Sudan's government and army have rejected this proposal, arguing that it unfairly equates the recognized national military with a paramilitary force and limits its capacity to protect citizens against insurgency.