Sudan's military-led government has lifted a curfew and state of emergency in Khartoum, state media reports. These measures were put in place more than two years ago.
The authorities took this step 18 months after the army retook control of the capital from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The civil war is now in its fourth year, but clashes persist in the south and west of the country.
More than two million of the approximately five million people who fled Khartoum after the war began in April 2023 have returned to the city since fighting there ended in March 2025, according to the International Organization for Migration. The government has reopened the city's main airport for some flights and is encouraging businesses and embassies to return.
Despite the lifting of restrictions, residents are struggling to rebuild their livelihoods amid widespread damage and looting. They also face constant power blackouts, attributed by the Khartoum state government to alleged RSF drone attacks on electricity infrastructure and a lack of government funds for repairs. An RSF source has called these allegations "incorrect and army propaganda."
Security patrols will continue across Khartoum state, and individuals travelling at night will need identification documents, as authorities remain wary of RSF infiltration. Reports indicate the army is conducting security sweeps targeting alleged RSF sleeper cells, undocumented foreigners, and criminals.
There is increasing concern that the conflict is drawing in neighbouring countries. Chad has accused the Sudanese army of an air strike on a military convoy within Chadian territory on 20 August, an accusation Sudan has rejected. The US Senior Adviser for Arab and African Affairs, Massad Boulos, has expressed "deep concern" about the risk to regional peace and stability, urging an immediate humanitarian truce and condemning recent air strikes inside Chad.