Gedaref protests over prices and services pile pressure on Sudan's army chief Burhan

Pinned summary · as of 17:47

Residents of Gedaref, in eastern Sudan, have been on the streets since 20 September to complain about rising prices, fuel shortages and poor public services. The unrest adds to the difficulties facing General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, who leads the army, at a time when his relations with Washington are strained and the conflict with the Rapid Support Forces shows no sign of ending.

What we know

• Ayman Hariri, a member of the Gedaref Resistance Committees, said the demonstrations started on 20 September and quickly reached several districts of Gedaref city, among them Al-Tadamun, Al-Jeneina, Abkar Jibril and the October Extensions.
• Hariri put the unrest down mainly to the state of the local economy, pointing to high prices, scarce fuel and the climbing cost of everyday items.
• Hariri said the committees regard the ruling authorities as illegitimate and do not believe economic or security stability can be achieved while they remain in charge. He added that preparations were under way to spread the peaceful protests across the whole state.
• The United States refused al-Burhan a visa for this month's UN General Assembly. Separately, a US State Department spokesperson was reported as saying that neither the army nor the Rapid Support Forces amounts to legitimate government for Sudan.
• The army and the Rapid Support Forces have been at war since April 2023, and more than 14 million people have been driven from their homes, according to the reports.
• Washington placed sanctions on al-Burhan in January 2025. Kessben Online reported that the US gave his opposition to civilian rule and his refusal to join peace talks as reasons.

What's disputed / unconfirmed

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  An account supplied to MyJoyOnline says security authorities in Gedaref have arrested and prosecuted protesters and activists, and Kessben Online, citing the newspaper Medameek, speaks of dozens of people. How many were held, and why, has not been independently established.
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  The Gedaref Resistance Committees allege that public money paid for rallies backing al-Burhan after the visa refusal. The reports disagree on the sum, with one giving 50 billion Sudanese pounds and another about 50 million, and no records have been produced to show a payment. The committees told Kessben Online they would release documents once reliable information arrived.
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  The committees also accuse the state authorities of neglecting residents' needs while funding projects of little value to them. This is their accusation and has not been tested.
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  Sudan's government rejected the American remarks about legitimacy and urged Washington to respect the country's sovereignty, MyJoyOnline reported. Sudan's UN ambassador asked Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to step in over the visa decision.
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  Kessben Online reported that al-Burhan said he would not give in to blackmail and turned down an American proposal for a 90-day humanitarian truce. MyJoyOnline said only that the visa was held back while efforts to secure such a ceasefire continued.
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  Kessben Online reports that Saudi Arabia and Egypt have publicly recognised the army alone, and cites observers who criticise Riyadh's backing for al-Burhan. It also refers to Reuters coverage of a Pakistani arms deal of about $1.5 billion, and to reports by the New York Times and the Washington Post on Turkish-made drones reaching the army. These points were not reported elsewhere.
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  Kessben Online gave an estimate of nearly 200,000 deaths in the war, and said the Medameek newspaper carried warnings that the region could face paralysis and famine. Neither claim was confirmed by other reports.

Why it matters for Ghana

Sudan's conflict is one of the largest displacement crises in Africa, and instability there affects West African governments, including Ghana's, that follow the African Union and UN diplomacy on the crisis. Ghanaians with relatives or business links in Sudan will want to know whether unrest is spreading beyond the war zones. The dispute over US recognition also shows how outside pressure on the army could shape any future ceasefire talks.