Catastrophic destruction of centuries of Sudanese heritage during ongoing conflict

In the midst of the ongoing conflict in Sudan, a tragic and devastating consequence has emerged: the looting and destruction of numerous museums and the theft of priceless antiquities.

The Khalifa House Museum in Omdurman, a historical landmark, now bears the scars of war, its walls pockmarked with bullet holes and the jagged lesions of artillery fire. The museum's famed "Gold Room," which housed solid-gold royal jewellery, figurines, and ceremonial objects, has been ransacked.

Sudan's National Museum in Khartoum, a repository of 7,000 years of African history, has suffered a similar fate. Over half a million artifacts, many dating back to the 3,000-year-old Kingdom of Kush, have vanished. The museum's director, Abdel Rahim Al-Shelhi, led the Gold Chamber of the National Museum.

The conflict between army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Daglo has been accused of resulting in the destruction of these cultural heritage sites, a war crime according to army-aligned government officials. However, the RSF denies these accusations.

Interpol is involved in efforts to locate the missing artefacts, but declined to provide further details. Meanwhile, Sudan is working with neighboring countries to track stolen antiquities. Some looted artefacts have been smuggled across borders into Egypt, Chad, and South Sudan, but most have no trace.

The stolen artifacts were transported in large trucks and have been traced to Darfur and South Sudan. The Ali Dinar Museum in El-Fasher, the largest in the western region of Darfur, has reportedly been destroyed by fighting. The museum in Darfur, now a military base, was renovated after years of closure. Thousands of priceless antiquities were housed there before its destruction.

The city's museum in Nyala, South Darfur state capital, has become impossible to access due to the destruction of the area. The total value of the losses from more than 20 museums across Sudan, including the National Museum in Khartoum, is estimated to be around $110 million so far.

UNESCO issued a global alert in September last year, urging museums, collectors, and auction houses to refrain from acquiring or taking part in the import, export, or transfer of ownership of cultural property from Sudan. Additionally, another group communicated with the Sudanese government from Egypt, offering to return looted antiquities in exchange for money, but it remains unclear how the government responded to the offer.

This tragic loss of cultural heritage is a reminder of the devastating impact of conflict on a nation's history and identity. The international community must come together to protect and preserve Sudan's priceless antiquities and ensure they are returned to their rightful place.