By John Ikani
The United Nations’ cultural body has voiced grave concerns regarding reports of armed factions ransacking numerous museums and cultural landmarks in conflict-ridden Sudan.
“UNESCO is deeply concerned about the recent reports of possible looting and damage of several museums and heritage institutions in Sudan, including the National Museum, by armed groups,” it said on Thursday.
The organization has been monitoring the damaging impact of the war on Sudan’s heritage, cultural establishments, and artists since the fighting began in 2023.
“In recent weeks, this threat to culture appears to have reached an unprecedented level, with reports of looting of museums, heritage and archaeological sites and private collections.”
UNESCO is especially troubled by accounts of looting at the National Museum of Sudan, in addition to the Khalifa House Museum in Omdurman and the Nyala Museum in South Darfur.
Founded in the 1970s, the National Museum safeguards over 2,700 artifacts, encompassing valuable pieces from ancient Egyptian Pharaonic dynasties and Nubian culture.
“UNESCO reiterates its call upon the public and the art market involved in the trade of cultural property in the region and worldwide to refrain from acquiring or taking part in the import, export or transfer of ownership of cultural property from Sudan,” it said.
The agency has announced plans to conduct training in Cairo for law enforcement and judicial officials from Sudan’s neighboring nations by the end of the year.
The ongoing war in Sudan, which started in April 2023, is between the army, headed by the country’s de facto leader Abdel Fattah al Burhan, and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), led by Burhan’s former second-in-command Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo.
Since the onset of the conflict, UNESCO reports it has supported emergency actions in five other Sudanese archaeological museums, which include securing “endangered collections” and establishing “safe havens” for them.
