Sudan marks April 6 anniversary with renewed calls to end war and restore civilian rule

Sudanese political parties and civil forces have marked the seventh anniversary of the April 6 sit-in outside the General Command in Khartoum with renewed calls for an immediate end to the war and a return to civilian rule.

The anniversary commemorates the mass protest that culminated in the overthrow of former president Omar al Bashir five days later in 2019. The date also echoes the April 6, 1985 uprising that toppled Jaafar Nimeiri, and is widely seen as a defining moment in Sudan’s modern political history and a continuing source of inspiration for pro-democracy movements.

Sovereignty Council President and Commander-in-chief of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) Lt Gen Abdelfattah El Burhan invoked the occasion to portray the SAF as aligned with the Sudanese public.

Speaking on the anniversary, he said he had stood among thousands of demonstrators outside the military leadership, adding that the army had sided with them.

Political reactions reflected deep divisions over the current conflict and the role of the military.

The National Umma Party described April 6 as a pivotal milestone and called for an escalation of peaceful mass mobilisation. It stressed that no authority derived from military force could claim legitimacy.

The Alliance of Forces of Radical Change issued stronger demands, calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities, the protection of civilians, and full accountability for those responsible for the violent dispersal of the Khartoum sit-in on June 3, 2019. 

The alliance described the crackdown as one of the most serious violations in Sudan’s recent history.

“The street remains the sole source of legitimacy,” the alliance reportedly said in a statement, warning that any authority that diverges from popular demands is likely to fail.

Observers say the anniversary comes as Sudan continues to face a protracted conflict that has caused widespread displacement and humanitarian suffering, with calls for a negotiated settlement growing louder among civil actors.