Kassala bans collective Iftars amid growing controversy

The Kassala State Security Committee has banned collective Iftars across the state, including in government institutions, ministries, official bodies, tribal components and public gatherings, citing unspecified security concerns.

The decision followed a meeting chaired by Governor El Sadig Mohammed El Azraq on Tuesday, who said the measure was taken “in anticipation of any threat”, without elaborating. Several other states had introduced similar restrictions ahead of Ramadan.

Youth groups in Kassala strongly rejected the move, arguing that it aims to prevent the annual 15th of Ramadan Iftar organised by residents of Makram, marking the sixth anniversary of victims killed in the 2020 tribal clashes.

The organising committee confirmed it would proceed with the event and announced the time and location, while activists called on the authorities to reverse the decision.

Critics questioned the security rationale, noting that Kassala has not experienced direct attacks for nearly a year.

Secretary Daoud, head of eastern Sudan’s United People’s Front for Liberation and Justice, urged the government to clarify the scope and justification of the ban.

He said community Iftars are a deeply rooted social tradition that foster solidarity and warned that a lack of transparency could fuel mistrust.

However, he added that restricting official government Iftars to curb public spending would fall within the governor’s administrative powers given Sudan’s economic crisis.

Some activists welcomed the ban, arguing that certain Iftars had become politicised platforms or placed undue strain on the state’s finances.