Tensions flared near the city of Oxford in the United Kingdom after protesters opposing Port Sudan Prime Minister Kamal Idris and his delegation accused a member of the Sudanese embassy staff of physically assaulting demonstrators during a protest tied to Idris’ UK visit.
Videos and testimonies circulating on social media on Thursday appeared to show a heated confrontation between members of the Sudanese community and individuals alleged to be affiliated with Sudan’s embassy in London. Protesters had gathered to denounce Idris’ meetings with British officials and academic institutions, accusing the Port Sudan authorities of legitimising the ongoing war and empowering Islamist factions allied with General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan’s army.
Several activists claimed one of the men involved in the confrontation is linked to the Al-Baraa Bin Malik Brigade, an Islamist militia fighting alongside General al-Burhan’s SAF in Sudan’s ongoing conflict. The allegations could not be independently verified at the time of publication, and neither the Sudanese embassy in London nor UK authorities immediately issued a public response.
The Al-Baraa Bin Malik Brigade has become one of the most controversial armed groups aligned with General al-Burhan’s SAF during the war. The militia has been accused by rights groups and analysts of extremist Islamist ties and involvement in abuses during the conflict. The United States earlier designated the brigade and wider Sudanese Islamist networks under terrorism-related sanctions.
Kamal Idris’ UK visit has triggered anger among sections of the Sudanese diaspora, particularly activists opposed to the Port Sudan authorities and the growing role of Islamist factions within the military alliance backing General al-Burhan’s SAF.
Witnesses said protesters chanted slogans against the war and denounced what they described as attempts to rehabilitate figures linked to the former Islamist establishment under Omar al-Bashir. Footage shared online showed shouting and pushing between demonstrators and men accused by activists of being associated with embassy staff.
No serious injuries were immediately reported.
The incident comes amid increasing scrutiny over the role of Sudanese diplomatic missions abroad and accusations by anti-war activists that officials linked to Port Sudan authorities are coordinating with pro-Islamist networks inside Europe.
Sudan’s conflict, which erupted in April 2023 between General al-Burhan’s SAF and the RSF, has increasingly drawn in allied militias and Islamist factions, including the Al-Baraa Bin Malik Brigade.
