When Universities Become Targets: The War on Education in Sudan

Sudan’s Ministry of Higher Education condemned drone strikes on Kordofan University and attacks on several universities across the Darfur region, blaming the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The strike destroyed major campus buildings and is part of a broader pattern of assaults on academic institutions since the war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and RSF began in April 2023.

Human rights groups warn that universities in Al-Fasher, Nyala, Zalingei, and El Geneina have been looted, occupied, or turned into military bases. According to UN findings, some attacks may bear “hallmarks of genocide,” while a Human Rights Watch report documented killings and abuses, including against people with disabilities. Experts stress that targeting universities is not only physical destruction but also an attack on knowledge, academic freedom, and students’ right to education, leaving entire regions without access to higher learning.

At the same time, scholars emphasize that universities remain critical spaces for peace-building, dialogue, and rebuilding societies after conflict. Reconstructing Sudan’s higher education system will likely require global partnerships, international funding, and cooperation with the Sudanese academic diaspora.

Reading this, I was struck by how fragile education can be in places affected by conflict. Universities are often seen as spaces of debate, research, and possibility, yet in Sudan they have become part of the battlefield. It reminds me that the right to learn safely is deeply connected to broader human rights protections. Protecting schools and universities is not only about preserving buildings, it is about safeguarding the future of students whose voices and ideas could shape the recovery of their societies.

Official Source