Sudanese journalists’ experiences covering the Khartoum war

Sudan Media Forum: Joint Editorial Room
Prepared and Edited by: Al-Taghyeer Newspaper
Report by: Fath Al-Rahman Hamouda

On the morning of April 15, 2023, Khartoum woke up to the sounds of heavy weapons and deafening shelling that cut off civilian life, announcing the beginning of a bloody conflict between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces. While silence prevailed in the streets of the capital and movement stopped, the pens of Sudanese journalists were writing accounts of the moment, conveying the sounds of cannons with complete neutrality, shedding light on human stories written under the whizz of bullets.

In the heart of this hell, “Al Taghyeer” listened to the story of two journalists: Waseem “a pseudonym”, a young man in his twenties, and Awad “a pseudonym”, a veteran journalist in his fifties. Neither of them left Khartoum despite the intensity of the battles and the escalation of risks. On a journey fraught with danger, they continued to roam the burning capital, risking their lives between the battle lines in search of the truth. Their goal was not merely to report the facts of military operations, but to convey the voices of civilians whose lives were torn apart by war.

The two journalists spoke to Al-Taghyeer about their experience in the heart of the main conflict zone, facing the risk of death amidst the random shelling and continuous harassment from all parties. However, the threats did not deter them from continuing to document the humanitarian catastrophe that is deepening day after day, as they were armed with words and images to tell the world the story of a people who remained trapped between the rubble of war and the hope of survival.

Human suffering

Awad began to narrate his experience while covering humanitarian stories in the Omdurman area, which was ravaged by battles, pointing out the impact of this experience on his view of journalism. He said that according to his experience, journalistic coverage of wars after their first stage tends to focus on the humanitarian dimensions. He added to “Al-Taghyeer” that his work in the city of Omdurman revolved around this humanitarian dimension, as he prepared many journalistic stories that documented the suffering of the population from displacement, poverty and disease, in addition to issues such as reburial of corpses, humanitarian aid and charitable initiatives, especially the free hospices and bakeries in the area.

Awad pointed out that he did not focus on the military confrontations that were raging between the parties to the conflict, except for the attacks that targeted civilians. He said that he remained a resident of the city and did not leave it until five months after the outbreak of the conflict, adding that the humanitarian stories he prepared were similar to those prepared by his other journalist colleagues in the region, as they showed the pivotal role of journalism in conveying reality as it is and shedding light on the effects of war on civilians, stressing that this is the basic duty of journalists.

Difficulty recognizing streets

As for Waseem, his first visit to Omdurman since the outbreak of the war was a strange and tense experience after an eight-month absence from his birthplace. He came on a journalistic assignment that would take him back to the city that had become a battlefield. The young man talks about his mixed feelings upon his arrival, as he was overcome by a mixture of fear and caution, but longing was the overwhelming feeling. He recounts how his first journalistic assignment was to visit the “Wad Nubawi” neighbourhood, which holds a special place for him, not only because it was home to the oldest families in the area, but also because it was the home of his extended family in times past.

Waseem said that when the car stopped, he got out very carefully, examining what had happened to the place. The features of the neighbourhood had changed due to the war, and the buildings that were once familiar were now filled with holes from shells, while empty bullet casings were scattered on the ground! He looked west, trying to retrieve his memory, until he recognized the ruins of the intersection of Karari Street with Al-Omda neighbourhood, realizing that he was standing on Al-Doma Street.

Ghost town!

The scenes that Wassim and other journalists who were in those areas saw were shocking. The areas that were once bustling with activity and vitality had turned into gloomy ghost towns. All that could be seen was devastation! All that could be heard were the sounds of intermittent shelling, mixed with the sounds of dilapidated doors being moved by the wind, like the soundtrack to a long, endless horror movie.

Awad recounts how he succeeded in building strong relationships with the civilians whose stories he collected amidst the chaos of war, noting that his continuous communication with residents in shelters and conducting interviews with them in various places such as public streets, hospitals and lodges was the key to those relationships. He added that he faced great challenges in the beginning in gaining the full trust of civilians, which required patience and perseverance in dealing with them.

Awad said when I talk about my experience in the Omdurman area, the biggest threat was the random shelling that targeted civilian homes during renewed military confrontations. He added: “Fear was always with me, as I was exposed to being targeted at any moment during the shelling, but I learned from the citizens how to deal with this reality, especially after the first shell fell, as we arranged our affairs to stay as safe as possible.”

With the renewal of military confrontations in Sudan, both parties to the conflict resort to using random shelling as a means of field pressure, which causes widespread destruction and human losses among civilians. These operations often target residential areas, which prompts residents to search for means to protect themselves, such as fleeing to safer areas or taking shelter under solid buildings.

For Wassim, this was his first experience covering conflicts. He says, “I realized that the biggest challenge was maintaining my personal safety before starting my journalistic work. I prepared well and understood the importance of taking precautions, such as wearing a bulletproof vest bearing the press logo. I continued to avoid going to combat zones during times of clashes, and maintaining my psychological balance was essential in an environment full of pressure, despite the horrors I heard from the victims of war.”

Coverage gap!

He continued, saying, “I was keen to show my sympathy while maintaining my professionalism in dealing with these situations. I was not harassed during my work, and things were going better than I expected.”
Regarding the impact of his coverage of humanitarian stories on his view of journalism, Wassim said, “My coverage of the war in Sudan has greatly changed my view of journalism, as I have become more focused on the effects of war on people, despite the journalistic efforts made. I see that there is a big gap in media coverage of the Sudanese conflict in the global media, which has turned to other conflicts, even though the Sudanese conflict is no less dangerous!”
Therefore, the Sudanese journalist must assume his moral responsibilities in conveying the voices of war victims despite the lack of resources.”

Awad said that during his coverage of the war, he met a number of his young journalist colleagues who shared their experiences with him and gave him valuable advice. He added that this generation of journalists possesses skills and knowledge that were not available to them in the past. Just as the war has produced heroes in the humanitarian, medical and charitable fields, it has also produced young journalists, whether professional or amateur, who will leave their mark in the future.

He concluded by saying that he does not offer specific advice to young people, but he would like to remind them of the importance of following safety and security procedures at work and reviewing them constantly! There is no journalistic story that is worth sacrificing one’s life. Another important point is that war, from a military perspective and with political goals, has become a tool for media propaganda. We must differentiate between real journalism and propaganda and focus on what people suffer as a result of this war.

“Pens from Exile” is a documentary film produced by Al-Taghyeer electronic newspaper, which reviews the conditions and lives of Sudanese journalists in Uganda, as they struggle to continue their media message in light of the challenges imposed on them by the reality of exile.

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This report is published on the platforms of media institutions, organisations, and press members of the Sudan Media Forum.

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