The Republic of Sudan
Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Office of the Spokesperson and Media Directorate
Press Statement
The Janjaweed militia’s propaganda outlet broadcasted video clips showing its members at the well-known archaeological site “al-Naqa’a and al-Musawarat,” which is located north of Khartoum, in the River Nile State. The Militia announced that it would use the archaeological site to launch new attacks on nearby villages and small towns. Al-Naqaa and al-Musawwarat are among the most important protected archaeological sites in Sudan. They contain archaeological buildings dating back about 3,000 years and have been on the World Heritage List since 2011. This criminal act is a continuation of the Militia’s sinister undertaking to systematically destroy cultural heritage in Sudan. This evil enterprise has so far manifested in vandalizing the Sudan National Museum, the Sudan National Archives, several universities, public libraries, and historical places of worship. Last week, the Militia dared to destroy the Evangelical Church in the city of Wad Madani, which has a history of more than hundred years. The Militia had previously damaged a number of mosques and churches in Khartoum State.
Targeting cultural heritage and places of worship that embody freedom of religion are prominent features that characterize terrorist groups. This pattern of crimes has been known of groups like ISIS, Boko Haram, and terrorist groups in the African Sahel Region. A member of such a terrorist group was tried at the International Criminal Court in 2016 for the crime of destroying cultural heritage in the city of Timbuktu, Mali.
The above- described pattern of terrorist crimes by the Janjaweed Militia, leaves the international community, especially Regional and International Organizations, with no option other than classifying it as a terrorist group and treating it on that basis.