On the evening of 13 May 2020, Sudanese officials began to enforce a 24-hour curfew in South Kordofan province, which will remain in place through at least 16 May, following violent unrest in the provincial capital Kadugli. The violence broke out on the evening of 11 May following a dispute between two individuals regarding the sale of a firearm in a Kadugli market. Since that time, the clashes have left at least 26 people dead and dozens more injured, including several members of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Analyst Comment: Sudan’s transitional government is currently leading negotiations with numerous rebel groups that operate in the country’s western and southern regions; however, rebel activity and sectarian violence remain prominent concerns in these areas. The recent unrest in South Kordofan is the third instance of armed violence to occur across Sudan in the past month; similar violence has occurred recently in South Darfur and Kassala provinces