Sudan gold traders in Omdurman strike after violent robbery

July 21, 2025 (OMDURMAN) – Gold traders in the Sudanese city of Omdurman launched an open-ended strike on Monday to protest deteriorating security after a colleague was violently robbed of more than a kilogram of gold, a trade group leader said.

The incident occurred on Sunday evening when armed men in military uniforms ambushed trader Omar Mohamed outside his home, according to Khalid Al-Khanjar, head of the Chamber of Gold Traders.

“They surrounded him in a four-wheel-drive vehicle mounted with an RPG, shot his car’s tires, and abducted him,” Al-Khanjar told the Sudan Tribune. The assailants later abandoned Mohamed in a remote area after stealing the gold.

Al-Khanjar stated that the security situation poses a threat to the operations of 340 gold shops, warning of a “complete shutdown” and the possibility of traders leaving the country. He criticised local authorities for their silence, stating, “We have not received communications from any official body.”

The strike highlights growing complaints of lawlessness in major cities, including Omdurman and Port Sudan. Two people were killed in Omdurman earlier this month during a separate armed robbery.

Al-Khanjar noted that traders’ taxes had recently increased from 100,000 to 900,000 Sudanese pounds, stating they deserve the government’s attention.

Police have begun an investigation into the robbery, one of the striking traders said. In response to a recent surge in crime, Khartoum State police have conducted security campaigns, confiscating unlicensed weapons and motorcycles.