ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Sudan National Museum Suffers Major Looting During Conflict

cultural-heritage · 2026-03-14

The Sudan National Museum experienced significant theft of its collections amid the civil war, with over 60% of its holdings stolen. This occurred while the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces were in control from April 15, 2023, to early 2025, as reported by NBC News. Ghalia Jar Al-Nabi, director of the General Authority, confirmed the losses, highlighting the impact on cultural heritage during the conflict.

Key facts

  • Over 60% of the museum's holdings were looted
  • Looting took place from April 15, 2023, to early 2025
  • The theft occurred during the Rapid Support Forces' occupation

Entities

Institutions

  • Sudan National Museum
  • General Authority
  • General Authority for Antiquities and Museums
  • National Corporation of Antiquities and Museums
  • University of Michigan's Kelsey Museum of Archaeology
  • Sudan Cultural Emergency Recovery Fund
  • French Archaeological Unit for Sudanese Antiquities
  • French National Institute for Art History

Locations

  • Sudan
  • Khartoum
  • South Darfur
  • Al Fashir

Sources