Sudan: Officials impose 20:00-05:00 curfew in White Nile State due to May 6-8 communal violence

Event

As of May 9, authorities have imposed a 20:00-05:00 security-related curfew in the White Nile State due to communal violence reported in the region May 6-8. Clashes involving Hausa and Nuba communities left at least five people dead and injured several others. The exact conditions of the curfew have not been provided. Security officials have been deployed in the area to quell violence.

An increased security presence will likely persist in the impacted areas in the coming days. Further violence cannot be discounted. Should any violence occur, officials could impose further restrictive measures.

Context

Creeping desertification brought on by climate change continues to drive intense competition for access to scarce resources such as grazing areas and drinking water. Given the easy availability of small arms, such tensions regularly escalate into clashes, which may, in turn, fuel rounds of reprisal attacks between various communities, sometimes leading to heavy casualty tolls.

Advice

Exercise heightened vigilance in the impacted area in the coming days. Liaise with trusted contacts for updates on the security situation before traveling into or near the area. Heed the directives of the authorities. Abide by the curfew. Avoid travel at night and carry identification to facilitate movement through checkpoints.