Extent of Looting Revealed at Sudan’s National Museum
Recent videos and satellite images document significant destruction and looting after the Sudanese army's recapture of Khartoum.
Recent videos and satellite images have surfaced, showcasing extensive looting and destruction at the Sudan National Museum.
Following the recapture of Khartoum by the Sudanese army from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the full scope of the losses has become evident.
The museum, which housed an estimated 100,000 ancient artifacts spanning thousands of years, including relics from the Nubian kingdom and the Kushite empire, was found stripped of many of its treasures.
Reports indicate that even items stored in a fortified room, including precious gold artifacts, are believed to have been stolen and possibly smuggled out of the country.
A recent video shared by local media depicted the museum largely empty, with few large statues remaining, such as the seven-tonne statue of King Taharqa, a prominent figure from the ancient Kushite civilization.
Curator Elnzeer Tirab Abaker Haroun confirmed that a specialist team is documenting the damage, describing the situation as a significant loss to the country’s national heritage.
The theft and destruction, which include many mummies dating back to 2500 BC, have heartbreaking implications for Sudan’s cultural history.
This incident follows fears raised in June 2023 regarding potential looting during the ongoing conflict that erupted following a power struggle between army commander Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagolo.
UNESCO has previously urged art dealers to refrain from engaging in the trade of unlawfully obtained artifacts from Sudan.
The devastation felt by many Sudanese is palpable; local activist Hala al-Karib expressed deep emotional pain at witnessing the looting of a museum that held personal significance for her and her family.
Trade unionist Shahenda Suliman noted that the emptiness left where once stood significant cultural objects symbolizes the broader losses experienced by the country due to the ongoing conflict.
The Sudanese civil conflict, which escalated significantly in 2023, has devastated the nation’s infrastructure and culture.
The international community’s response has been criticized as inadequate, leaving Sudanese citizens to contend with the aftermath of war and the loss of irreplaceable historical artifacts.
The RSF’s continued stronghold in the western regions of the country underscores the ongoing violence and humanitarian crisis, leading to a complex and dire situation for the future of Sudan’s cultural and historical legacy.
Following the recapture of Khartoum by the Sudanese army from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the full scope of the losses has become evident.
The museum, which housed an estimated 100,000 ancient artifacts spanning thousands of years, including relics from the Nubian kingdom and the Kushite empire, was found stripped of many of its treasures.
Reports indicate that even items stored in a fortified room, including precious gold artifacts, are believed to have been stolen and possibly smuggled out of the country.
A recent video shared by local media depicted the museum largely empty, with few large statues remaining, such as the seven-tonne statue of King Taharqa, a prominent figure from the ancient Kushite civilization.
Curator Elnzeer Tirab Abaker Haroun confirmed that a specialist team is documenting the damage, describing the situation as a significant loss to the country’s national heritage.
The theft and destruction, which include many mummies dating back to 2500 BC, have heartbreaking implications for Sudan’s cultural history.
This incident follows fears raised in June 2023 regarding potential looting during the ongoing conflict that erupted following a power struggle between army commander Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagolo.
UNESCO has previously urged art dealers to refrain from engaging in the trade of unlawfully obtained artifacts from Sudan.
The devastation felt by many Sudanese is palpable; local activist Hala al-Karib expressed deep emotional pain at witnessing the looting of a museum that held personal significance for her and her family.
Trade unionist Shahenda Suliman noted that the emptiness left where once stood significant cultural objects symbolizes the broader losses experienced by the country due to the ongoing conflict.
The Sudanese civil conflict, which escalated significantly in 2023, has devastated the nation’s infrastructure and culture.
The international community’s response has been criticized as inadequate, leaving Sudanese citizens to contend with the aftermath of war and the loss of irreplaceable historical artifacts.
The RSF’s continued stronghold in the western regions of the country underscores the ongoing violence and humanitarian crisis, leading to a complex and dire situation for the future of Sudan’s cultural and historical legacy.
