Sudanese authorities display ancient figurines, decorated vases and scarab-shaped amulets in a ceremony in Port Sudan, celebrating the recovery of more than 570 antiquities stolen from the national museum during the long war that ravaged the country.
The objects, placed on large tables, were found after months of investigation and brought back to the war capital.
The Khartoum National Museum, which housed some of Sudan's most important archaeological collections, was looted and badly damaged after the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary militia, took control of the capital at the start of the war which opposed them to the army, their former ally.
At the time, satellite images showed trucks transporting objects west towards the vast region of Darfur, now entirely under the control of the FSR.
Sudanese authorities have since worked with UNESCO and Interpol to find the stolen items. Authorities did not provide details on how the items were recovered.
"Sudanese heritage is not only important at the national level, it is a treasure of humanity", said Ahmed Junaid, UNESCO representative in Sudan, in a statement, referring to international efforts to combat illicit trafficking of cultural property.
"Many people do not know the value of the objects displayed on the tables, but they reflect the identity of the nation and its history", said Sudanese Finance Minister Gibril Ibrahim.
"Those who stole our antiques sought to erase our identity", he added.
Khalid Aleisir, Minister of Information and Culture, announced a "financial reward" for anyone who returns the antiques to the authorities, without specifying the amount.
"There’s not much left"
Officials estimate that the recovered items account for about 30% of the items looted from the museum.
The content of the "Golden Room", the museum's most valuable collection, which included ancient jewelry and 24-karat gold coins, some of which dated back almost 8,000 years.
Thieves took away most of the transportable items, leaving only the heaviest, such as the imposing black granite statue of Pharaoh Taharqa, who ruled the kingdom of Kush and Egypt from 690 to 664 BC.
Most Sudanese museums have been looted since the start of the war, including the palace of Sultan Ali Dina, who ruled Darfur between 1891 and 1916.
The palace is located in El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, which fell to the FSR in October.
Sudan's National Antiquities Authority estimated the total amount of losses at around $110 million.
