As the war destroyed museums and invaluable artifacts

In imposing the statues of Rams and Lviv, which stood on the territory of the Sudan National Museum – invaluable artifacts since the Nubian rulers have won what Egypt in the north, as well as exquisite paintings of Christian walls, which concern many centuries ago.

On the usual day of the group of schoolchildren, they look at this reminder of the past, tourists fell through one of Khartum’s mandatory walks, and the concerts took place on the basis.

But it was before the war began two years ago.

As the Sudanese military repeated their control over the capital, finally expelling a competitor, fast support forces (RSF), a full scale of the destruction of the two -year war becomes clear.

Government ministries, banks and office blocks are blazing and burned, while the museum is a symbol of proud history and culture of the country – it was especially tough.

Higher officials say tens of thousands of artifacts were either destroyed or sent to sell when RSF controlled the central Khartum where the museum is located.

“They destroyed our identity and our history,” said them, Abdel Latif Ahmed, director of the Sudan National Corporation Museums and Museums, said the BBC Newsday.

Before the conflict, the National Museum was a gem.

Located in the heart of Sudan – near the Presidential Palace, and the merger of the Blue Neil and White Nile rivers – said the continuity of the great civilizations that inhabited this area over time.

Now that the museum officials made an inspection visit, they were met by broken glass, bullets on the floor and traces of robbery everywhere.

“The building was very unique and very beautiful,” said Ms Ahmed.

“The police (a description of Sudanese officials give RSF) so many unique and beautiful collections, destroyed and damaged the rest.”

It is reported about robbery in other Sudanese museums and ancient places. Last September, the UNESCO World Heritage Warned about the “threat of culture” and urged artistic dealers not to import or export artifacts that are controlled by Sudan.

Before the war, the National Museum was rehabilitated, and so much of it was done.

This may have eased the removal of the collections.

Sudanese officials say valuable artifacts from the National Museum were taken for sale.

They strongly suspect that RSF fighters took some values ​​to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). They gave no evidence. However, the UN Expert Group in Sudan said that RSF exports a considerable amount of gold in the UAE before the war.

The UAE is also widely accused of RSF’s financing, although both sides have always denied the allegations.

“We had a strong place for the collection of gold, they managed to open it and took all the gold,” said Ms Ahmed.

“They may have kept it for themselves, and maybe they traded on the market.”

Thereby 5th century BC, unknown.

Asked about the value of what was accepted, Mrs. Ahmed simply replied: “It doesn’t matter to museum artifacts, it is more expensive than you could imagine.”

Sudan’s actual government states that it will contact Interpol and UNESCO to try to return the artifacts looted from the National Museum and elsewhere.

However, the restoration of artifacts seems difficult and perhaps even a dangerous task, with a little immediate success.

Government and other Sudanese observers say RSF attacks, universities and buildings such as the national office are a conscious attempt to destroy the Sudanese state – but again, RSF denies it.

Amgada Farid, which manages Fikra for research and analytical development centers, is especially critical of robbery.

“RSF’s actions are superior to simple crime,” he wrote in a work that is shared by his organization.

“They are a deliberate and malicious attack on Sudan’s historical identity, focusing on the invaluable heritage of the Nubian, Coptic and Islamic civilization, which covers more than 7,000 years, which is the cornerstone of African and global history, secured in these museums.

“This is not an accidental loss against the background of the conflict – it is a calculated desire to destroy the Sudan’s heritage, to detach people from their past and to rob the millennia of human history for profits.”

The history of the National Museum – armed armed men, its gold and values ​​were looted and stolen – reflects the individual stories of such a number of Sudans in this conflict: they were forced to run, their homes are busy, their gold stolen.

According to the UN, nearly 13 million people have been forced from houses since the fighting began in 2023, and estimated 150,000 people were killed.

“The war against the Sudan people,” says Mr. Ahmed, depriving human expenses of war, as well as the incredible loss of heritage centuries.

She, together with other like -minded people, intends to restore the National Museum and other plundered institutions.

“Inhallah (God wish) we will return all our collections,” she said.

“And we build it more beautiful than before.”