December 2018

On December 13, 2018, students in Al Damazine protested after bread prices tripled overnight due to the government’s decision to end wheat and fuel subsidies. A few days later, protests spread and demonstrators set fire to the local headquarters of the ruling National Congress Party. Following this, The Sudanese Professionals Association spearheaded the movement, defining the movement’s goals and gaining support from political parties and civic groups.

April 2019

On April 6, 2019, a massive march culminated in a sit-in outside the military headquarters in Khartoum. This marked a turning point in the protests against the 30-year rule of President Omar al-Bashir who was ousted by the military days later and replaced with a Transitional Military Council (TMC). Protesters viewed the TMC as a continuation of the old regime and vowed to continue their sit-in until a civilian government was established. However their lack of a clear vision for the transition led to the initiation of negotiations between representatives of the Forces of Freedom and Change (FFC), the signatories of the Declaration of Freedom and Change, and the (TMC).

June 2019

On June 3, 2019, Sudanese security forces carried out a violent crackdown on pro-democracy protesters. This event, known as the Khartoum massacre, led to the deaths of over 100 people, with many others injured or sexually assaulted. The TMC then suspended negotiations with civilians. Despite the Internet blackout and the profound trauma of the massacre, Resistance Committees regrouped and spearheaded nationwide protests on June 30, altering the power dynamics to favor the FFC. However, instead of leveraging the protesters’ sacrifices and the surge in momentum, the FFC chose to re-engage in negotiations with the same military leaders who had recently betrayed them.

August 2019

Negotiations eventually culminated in the signing of The Constitutional Declaration in August 2019 that provided a framework for Sudan’s transitional period. It outlined a power-sharing arrangement between TMC and FFC with leadership alternating between military and civilian figures. The declaration also called for the formation of a civilian-led cabinet, with the FFC selecting the prime minister. Additionally, the declaration outlined the creation of a legislative council prioritizing civilian representation, a goal that was never achieved, along with other critical objectives such as transparent investigations into the June 3rd massacre.

The transitional period was further challenged by the IMF-led economic reforms. These included lifting subsidies on essential goods like fuel and wheat, as well as floating the Sudanese pound.

October 2021

On the 25th of October 2021, the military partners of the transitional government mounted a coup, dissolving the government and cancelling the terms of the constitutional declaration that emphasized the partnership with civilians. Neighbourhood resistance committees (RCs) took the lead and became more organized with sophisticated horizontal and vertical coordination structures.

Despite neutralizing the coup, RCs also realized their unpreparedness to capitalize on this second opportunity of state destabilization and power vacuum. Consequently, for the first time, calls emerged for the articulation of a detailed strategy for the way forward.

January 2023

Several RCs answered the call by presenting their visions for the democratic transition. These initiatives eventually led to the consolidation of a number of political charters into a single charter unveiled in January 2023. This process highlighted how the years of revolutionary momentum brought sophisticated analyses of Sudan’s crisis, once confined to academic or political circles, into the hands of grassroots platforms.

Political parties led by the FFC—whose structure allowed it to dominate the representation of civic forces and gain recognition from international and regional organizations—joined negotiations for The Framework Agreement. This agreement sought to establish a new arrangement for sharing power with the military.

April 2023

The Framework Agreement’s implementation faced a major obstacle when the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) refused to integrate their paramilitary forces into the Sudanese army. This refusal escalated tensions, ultimately leading to the outbreak of conflict on April 15, 2023.

Initially, a number of revolutionary forces, particularly the RCs, called for an immediate cessation of the fighting, recognizing it as a power struggle be-tween military commanders. However, under the effect of shock and severe human right violations by the RSF, this stance shifted.

Today, the revolutionary movement remains fragmented and unable to unite on common ground. Some have joined the popular resistance under the Sudanese army’s forces, while others have chosen to focus on serving their communities in displacement shelters and emergency response efforts.