Central Bank targets 39 political figures, including Hamdok and Wajdi Saleh

PORT SUDAN – The de facto Central Bank of Sudan has issued a directive to commercial banks ordering the freezing of bank accounts belonging to 39 individuals, including prominent politicians, civilian movement leaders, journalists, and online activists. The order marks the first financial sanction of its kind since the war erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) nearly 30 months ago.

According to an official circular dated October 22, 2025, the Central Bank instructed banks to block the accounts as part of case number 1613 of 2024, without providing details on the nature of the charges. The move is widely seen as part of a broader crackdown on civilian and political actors amid renewed efforts toward a negotiated settlement of Sudan’s ongoing conflict.

Among those targeted is Abdallah Hamdok, Sudan’s former Prime Minister and current head of the Civil Democratic Forces Alliance (Sumoud). Most of the individuals named in the Central Bank’s order are affiliated with the Sumoud alliance, a coalition that emerged from a split within the former “Taqadum” coordination led by Hamdok.

The ban also extends to Major General Fadl Burma Nasser, a senior figure in the “Tasis” coalition, who defected from Hamdok’s “Tagadum” bloc earlier this year and publicly declared political support for the RSF during a conference held in Nairobi in March 2025.

Another notable name on the list is Ali al-Rayeh al-Sanhouri, Secretary-General of the Arab Socialist Ba’ath party, which has not been part of Sumoud, Tagadum, or Tasis. The list also includes Wajdi Saleh, a member of the dissolved Empowerment Removal Committee and a leading figure in the Ba’ath Party.

The account freeze follows earlier legal actions. In 2024, former de facto Attorney General al-Fateh Tayfour announced the filing of cases against 16 political figures accused of collaborating with the RSF and signing a joint political declaration on behalf of the Taqadum coalition before its internal split.

The latest move comes despite recent signs of political de-escalation. Last week, reports suggested that authorities were considering allowing opposition figures and activists to renew passports at Sudanese embassies abroad, while dismissing pending charges against some of them. These leaks had been interpreted by observers as a signal of a possible thaw in the de facto government’s stance toward civilian leaders.

However, the new Central Bank directive appears to contradict those expectations, raising doubts about the government’s commitment to political reconciliation. Analysts say the timing of the financial freeze is particularly striking, coming shortly after a high-level meeting in Cairo between General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, head of the de facto Sovereign Council and army chief, and Massad Boulos, U.S. Special Envoy for African Affairs.

The Cairo meeting reportedly focused on ways to revive peace talks and align Sudan’s military leadership with regional and Western mediation efforts. According to leaks, the two sides reached preliminary understandings on key political and humanitarian points.

Many observers believe that the path toward peace and reform in Sudan will require a broad political consensus calling for the dissolution of the RSF and the restructuring of the national army, a process that remains far from achievable as the war enters its third year.

The Central Bank’s action against leading civilian and political figures is now seen as a potential setback to these efforts, signaling that elements within the government continue to favor a hardline approach over reconciliation. Whether this marks a new phase of political repression or a temporary legal maneuver tied to ongoing negotiations remains unclear, but for many Sudanese civilians and observers, it underscores how fragile and polarized the country’s political landscape remains amid a devastating war.