Juba, South Sudan – South Sudan has lifted a night curfew imposed earlier this month after an anti-Sudanese demonstration in the capital Juba degenerated into looting, police said Monday.
Demonstrations erupted in the capital Juba 10 days ago over reports that clashes in neighbouring Sudan had killed 29 South Sudanese, with the rallies turning violent as people looted Sudanese-owned businesses.
Anger spread across the impoverished nation with officers opening fire to disperse crowds, detaining hundreds of looters while the government declared curfew.
“This is to inform the general public that the curfew declared on 17 January 2025 by the Inspector General of Police is lifted,” said police spokesman John Kassara.
He said that the curfew, which began at 6:00 pm, had been imposed “due to the violent demonstration by angry demonstrators” and looting.
“But now the situation is calm and normalised. Which is why the curfew is lifted,” he said.
An AFP reporter in Juba said previously the curfew was not being respected.
The news follows a decision from the government to reverse a 30-day social media ban, bowing to public pressure after it told firms to restrict access to Facebook and TikTok.
South Sudan broke away from its northern neighbour in 2011 and has faced severe economic and political instability ever since.
Hundreds of thousands of South Sudanese fled to Sudan but the civil war that broke out there in 2023 has seen many travel back over the border.
Most of the estimated one million people who have fled Sudan’s war have been South Sudanese returning to their country, the United Nations said on Wednesday.
Thousands of Sudanese have also come south, fleeing the violence between two warring factions that has seen tens of thousands of people killed.
© Agence France-Presse
