Sudan: Anti-government protesters clash with security forces in Khartoum September 11

Event

Anti-government protesters and security forces clashed throughout the evening on Friday, September 11, denouncing new legal amendments made by the government, which have been described as affecting Islamic core values, and in protest against the deteriorating economic conditions. In response, the Sudanese government has stated that amendments aim to remove articles related to restrictions on freedoms. The protest marked the eighth consecutive Friday of unrest in the capital. 

Further associated protests are likely in Khartoum in the near term.

Context

Sudan is currently in a three-year transition period under a joint civilian-military administration after the long-serving president Omar al-Bashir was ousted amid widespread anti-government protests in April 2019. However, pro-democracy groups under the Forces of Freedom and Change (FFC) coalition and the Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA) have continued to press for the expedited transfer to full civilian rule ahead of elections in 2022.

Advice

Those in Khartoum are advised to avoid the vicinity of the rally in order to mitigate the risk of exposure to potential crowd disturbances, opportunistic crime, and police crowd control measures. Travelers are further advised to closely monitor local media for updates regarding disruptions caused by the events.