Amidst the ongoing civil war in Sudan, there are growing concerns that priceless artifacts from the nation’s rich cultural heritage have been looted from the National Museum in Khartoum, Bloomberg reports.
According to senior museum staff, armed groups involved in the conflict have been stealing boxes containing ancient statues, vases, and other artifacts over the past year.
UNESCO has expressed deep concern about the reports of looting and damage to museums and heritage sites in Sudan, calling it an “unprecedented level” of threat to the country’s cultural legacy. The organization urged the international community to act swiftly to protect Sudan’s heritage from destruction and illicit trafficking.
The conflict in Sudan, which began in April 2023, has led to estimated 150,000 fatalities. Over 10 million people have been displaced, many seeking refuge in neighboring countries like Chad, South Sudan, and Egypt.
Multiple attempts to broker a ceasefire between the Sudanese army and the rival Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group have failed. The fighting has been fueled by the looting of Sudan’s vast natural resources, including gold and gum arabic.
Museum staff have reported that RSF members removed three truckloads of artifacts, including funeral statuettes from the Napatan period (700-300 BC). While an RSF negotiator denied involvement in looting, Interpol and UNESCO are supporting the museum in documenting the crimes.
The National Museum housed artifacts spanning from prehistoric times to the early 19th century, including a gold-gilted statuette of a Kushite king, vases dating back to the 3rd century AD, and paintings from the medieval Nubia period. The extent of the looting remains unclear.
The conflict has also targeted other museums, including the Darfur Museum and the Sheikan Museum, as well as archives at Omdurman Ahlia University, which were either looted or destroyed by fire.
Heritage for Peace, an organization dedicated to preserving cultural heritage during wartime, has appealed to both warring factions to protect Sudan’s cultural treasures and prevent illicit exports and illegal excavations at archaeological sites.
