Sudan Marks April 6 With Calls for Peace and Civilian Rule

Sudanese political parties and civil groups have marked the seventh anniversary of the April 6 sit-in in Khartoum by renewing 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 Lt. Gen. Abdelfattah El Burhan used the occasion to position the army as aligned with the people. He said that he had stood among thousands of demonstrators outside the military leadership. He said that the army had sided with them.

However, political responses revealed deep divisions. The National Umma Party called for intensified peaceful mobilisation and rejected military-led authority. The Alliance of Forces of Radical Change demanded an immediate ceasefire, civilian protection, and accountability for the 2019 sit-in crackdown. Observers say the anniversary occurs at a time when Sudan continues to struggle with a protracted conflict that has resulted in widespread displacement and humanitarian suffering, with calls for a negotiated settlement becoming increasingly louder.