Khartoum has lifted its two-year curfew, a gesture toward normalcy in a city that war hollowed out — but the gesture is fragile. More than two million displaced residents have returned to find a capital stripped of power, infrastructure, and safety, while the civil war that drove them away continues to burn beyond the city's edges. Sudan's military government seeks the appearance of restoration, yet the machinery of conflict — internal sweeps, regional accusations, and stalled diplomacy — reminds us that lifting a curfew is not the same as making peace.
BBC News
· Aug 28, 2026
· governance
· 7 min read
High
Sourcing: Verified
Sudan lifts Khartoum curfew as capital rebuilds, but war spreads regionally
Over 5 million people fled Khartoum after war erupted in April 2023; more than 2 million have since returned to find destroyed homes and livelihoods.
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War & Conflict
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Bias & Framing
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Geopolitical Impact
🌎
Sudan's military lifts Khartoum curfew after retaking capital, but civil war persists regionally with spillover into neighboring Chad, complicating post-conflict stabilization.
Escalation Risk
high
Confidence
HIGH
Sudan
Chad
Egypt
South Sudan
Ethiopia
Horn of Africa
Military government consolidates control over capital but faces continued RSF resistance in periphery; regional destabilization threatens neighboring states, particularly Chad. Humanitarian crisis drives mass displacement affecting regional stability. Military's authority remains contested despite tactical victory in Khartoum.
Similar to Somalia's 1991-2012 state collapse: military control of capital coexists with fragmented territorial control, regional spillover, and prolonged civil conflict despite apparent government victory in urban centers.
Economic Lens
📈
Sudan's curfew lift signals capital recovery but ongoing civil war, regional spillover, and infrastructure damage create significant economic uncertainty and reconstruction challenges.
Market Signal
mixed
Confidence
MED
Infrastructure and utilities
Real estate and construction
Transportation and aviation
Retail and commerce
Energy sector
Telecommunications
Diplomatic and business services
Khartoum residents face mixed prospects: improved mobility and business reopening opportunities offset by widespread infrastructure damage, power blackouts, looted properties, and ongoing security concerns. Reconstruction costs burden households already displaced and economically disrupted.
International donors may increase reconstruction aid conditional on ceasefire progress. Regional governments may implement border controls and humanitarian corridors. Sudan's central bank faces pressure to stabilize currency and fund infrastructure repairs. UN may expand peacekeeping or mediation efforts as conflict regionalizes.