Extortion by Authorities Sparks Fear Among Khartoum Traders

Khartoum Highlight – Khartoum’s de facto authorities have escalated pressure on traders, closing “Parilla” women’s supplies shop in Omdurman, After its owner refused to pay what she described as an extortion demand of 3.6 billion pounds. The crackdown has extended to shops in Khartoum’s central and local markets. Authorities gave traders only fifteen days, from August 16 to 30, to settle their status through administrative units.  Warning that contracts would be terminated if they failed to comply.

Abdulmonim Ahmed Al-Bashir, executive director of de facto government in Khartoum, stressed that shops owners must regularize their status . However, the decisions provoked strong resentment among traders and citizens, who saw them as arbitrary amid war and economic collapse.

Zeinab Khalil Abdulrahim, the owner of “Parilla,” filed a grievance to the governor demanding suspension of the closure decision . And a transparent investigation. On social media, she confirmed that the extortion demand of 3.6 million pounds had no written legal basis.  Describing the closure order as “a clear abuse of power.”

Meanwhile, citizens mocked repeated calls for return to Khartoum. Saying authorities only sought to “fill their pockets” through extortion while basic services remain absent, landmines spread, and insecurity prevails. The capital has lived in a state of lawlessness since the war erupted between the army and RSF on April 15, 2023. A conflict described by international organizations as “the world’s worst humanitarian catastrophe.”