September 18th 2023.
The Greater Nile Petroleum Oil Company Tower in Khartoum, an iconic structure that defined the skyline of Sudan's capital, was devoured by flames on the weekend. Footage shows huge flames gutting the skyscraper in the midst of battles between the army and rival forces. The building's senior architect, Tagreed Abdin, posted on X (formerly Twitter) expressing her sorrow over the 'senseless destruction'.
The glass-faced tower was one of several landmarks, including the Ministry of Justice, which were simultaneously ablaze. It is unclear what exactly caused the fire, but the two sides have used air strikes, artillery shelling, and ground offensives to strike each other's strongholds in the city.
The fire started on an upper floor early on Sunday, and the explosions from the fighting could be heard from 3km away. Nawal Mohammed, a mother of 44, told The Guardian that the recent clashes had been 'the most violent since the war began'. The Sudan War Monitor confirmed that the Rapid Support Force paramilitary rebels had been attacking the army's headquarters on Saturday and continued to do so throughout the weekend.
The UN estimates that, as a result of the six-month long fighting, more than 7,500 people have been killed and more than a million have been forced to flee Sudan altogether. A local activist group also reported that 'dozens of civilians' had been killed since Friday. Clashes have also been reported in the southern city of El-Obeid.
It is a heartbreaking reality that the Greater Nile Petroleum Oil Company Tower, one of Khartoum's most iconic landmarks, has become a casualty of the conflict. The senseless destruction of such a beloved building is a reminder of the tragic consequences of war.
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