Sudan: State of emergency extended in Kassala and North Kordofan states /update 1

Event

The Sudanese government extended the state of emergency in the states of Kassala and North Kordofan through June 20, 2019, due to security reason. According to the Sudanese government, the move is aimed at stopping human trafficking and the smuggling of drugs and arms in the region.

Context

Organized crime groups and trafficking networks operate in these areas of Sudan. The government has made an effort to combat this activity, but has been hindered by its limited resources.

The state of emergency was first declared on December 30, 2017. 

Advice

Individuals present in Sudan are advised to keep abreast of the situation and to remain vigilant.

On a more general note, many Western governments advise against nonessential travel to Sudan and against all travel to certain regions, including the five Darfur states, South Kordofan, Blue Nile, certain areas of North Kordofan, the Djebel Ouanat region, Dinder National Park, and Sennar state.