The year-long war has had devastating human consequences, claiming tens of thousands of lives and displacing millions. Amidst this turmoil, looters have taken advantage of the chaos, targeting museums and heritage sites across the country. UNESCO, the UN’s cultural body, issued a stark warning on Thursday, describing the threat to Sudan’s cultural assets as “unprecedented.” Reports indicate a significant increase in the looting of museums, archaeological sites, and private collections.
The Sudan National Museum in Khartoum, which houses an extensive collection of artifacts from prehistoric times to the Nubian and Pharaonic periods, has been a prime target. The museum, originally established in 1971 to safeguard objects endangered by the construction of Egypt’s Aswan Dam, is now under siege.
“Major looting has occurred at the Sudan National Museum,” confirmed Ikhlas Abdel Latif, head of museums at the National Antiquities Authority. “Archeological objects have been loaded onto large trucks and transported to the west and border areas, particularly near South Sudan.”
The situation is exacerbated by the museum’s location in an area controlled by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), who have been accused of orchestrating the thefts. Despite claims from the RSF in May about their efforts to protect Sudanese antiquities, they have failed to comment on the looting allegations.
Throughout history, the plundering of cultural treasures has been a strategy to finance war efforts. UNESCO has called on the international community and art markets to refrain from trading in Sudanese artifacts. The agency is also organizing training sessions in Cairo for law enforcement and judicial personnel from Sudan’s neighboring countries to combat illegal trafficking.
Hassan Hussein, a former director of the National Antiquities Authority, highlighted the vulnerability of the museum and its collections due to the ongoing conflict. “Because of the war, the museum and the artifacts are not being monitored,” he said.
The conflict between Sudan’s military leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his former deputy, RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, has also put other significant cultural sites at risk. The Island of Meroe, a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its pyramids and ancient Kushite capital, faces potential looting.
In addition to the National Museum in Khartoum, the museum in Nyala, the South Darfur state capital, and part of the Khalifa House museum in Omdurman have suffered theft and destruction. The Association of Friends of Sudanese Museums has condemned the widespread looting in the strongest terms.
The situation has reached the point where looted artifacts have surfaced online. Sudanese media reported that items offered as Egyptian antiquities on eBay likely originated from the National Museum in Khartoum. A Sudanese archeologist, speaking anonymously for safety reasons, confirmed that many of the listed items, including pottery, gold objects, and paintings, likely came from the looted museum. However, he noted that at least one of the statuettes was a counterfeit.
The alarming condition of Sudan’s cultural heritage will be a key topic at an upcoming conference in Germany, which will be attended by experts like Hassan Hussein. “The current state of the collections is a concern for anyone who cares about humanity’s heritage,” he stressed.
As the conflict continues to ravage Sudan, the world watches with growing concern over the fate of the country’s irreplaceable archeological treasures. The international community’s efforts to curb the illegal trade and preserve these artifacts are more crucial than ever.
