Home razed to ground: Sky journalist returns to wreckage of dwelling destroyed during Sudanese conflict
In a grim turn of events, the heart of the Sahel, Sudan's capital Khartoum, stands decimated after a fierce two-year battle between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The city, once a bustling hub, now resembles a war-torn wasteland.
The eruption of conflict in April 2023 sent shockwaves through the city, leading millions to flee in search of safety. Khartoum's capture by the RSF sparked after a power struggle for total control, following the SAF.
The human toll of this conflict is staggering. At least 61,000 lives were lost within Khartoum state alone, while thousands more were maimed, and many remain unaccounted for. The RSF, facing the encroaching SAF, fled the city, taking with them the looted treasures of Khartoum.
The abandoned streets are a haunting sight, lined with charred, bullet-ridden buildings and robbed storefronts. Once-shiny skyscrapers, nestled along the River Nile, now stand as husks of blackened steel. Neighborhoods are skeletal, with deserted, hollow homes and streets snaking with trenches where copper electric cables were ripped from the ground.
Millions turned refugees
The majority of the approximately 13 million people displaced by this war fled Khartoum, many leaving hurriedly, expecting the conflict to end quickly. Among them were my parents. Amid the abandoned, looted homes lies the house where I grew up.
A shattered home
Upon returning, I strain to find the familiar turn to my house. Myriad landmarks are gone. The usual gatherings of young people drinking coffee with tea ladies in the shade, and the cars of courting couples parked by the Nile, are nowhere to be found. Our garden, carefully tended by my mother and brother, has turned both overgrown and desiccated. The mango, lemon, and jasmine trees have withered. The Bougainvillea has overgrown the pathway, blocking off the main entrance.
Our family car, missing from the garage, hints at theft shortly after my parents evacuated. The two chairs my mum and dad would sit at the centre of the front lawn remain, surrounded by thorny weeds and twisted, bleached vines. The neighbor's lush garden too is barren. Their once tall palm trees have been beheaded, leaving only stumps instead of lush fronds.
Glimmers of hope
Despite the stark picture of destruction, signs of familiarity emerge. A family photo album, my university certificate, celebratory snaps of my siblings' weddings, and books my brother has possessed since the early nineties are among the few items left untouched. The painting above my bed, gifted to me on my 24th birthday, is also present, along with food supplies and water.
These tangible items, though visibly damaged, offer a glimmer of hope. A symbol of material destruction but a reminder of what we can hold onto - the warmth and unity of a Sudanese home, the spirit of the people who gathered there to laugh, cry, and break bread. The hope that endures, reminding us of what will get us through.
- With millions of residents displaced as refugees, the captured city of Khartoum stands as a grim reminder of war-and-conflicts, a destructive outcome that has left deep scars on the heart of Sudan.
- Amidst the devastation, politics take a backseat as general-news reports on the ongoing shelling between Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) fail to enable any peaceful resolution, creating further disturbances in crime-and-justice within the war-torn city.
- Once markers of a flourishing city, charred, bullet-ridden buildings and looted storefronts now line the deserted streets of Khartoum, serving as stark reminders of the two-year battle that decimated the once bustling hub.
- The war between the SAF and RSF has led to a staggering human toll, with over 61,000 lives lost within Khartoum state alone, making a significant impact on Sudan's politics and society.
- In the tense and unstable environment of post-war Khartoum, lone pieces of personal identity such as family photos, books, and keepsakes serve as markers of hope, offering solace and reminding returning residents of the warmth and unity that once defined their homes and community, inspiring resilience in the face of adversity.
