Key Facts

• Sudan's National Museum had many important pieces from ancient Nubian civilizations, including statues of rams and lions.
• The war in Sudan started two years ago and resulted in a lot of destruction, including the museum.
• The Rapid Support Forces, a rival group, controlled the area where the museum is located during the war.
• According to officials, many valuable artifacts were either destroyed or taken away to be sold.
• The damage has made it hard to learn about the history of the civilizations that used to live in Sudan.
• There is a suspicion that some of the stolen artifacts were taken to the United Arab Emirates, but no proof has been provided.
• The United Nations had warned about a "threat to culture" and asked art dealers not to buy or sell artifacts smuggled out of Sudan.
• The location of several important artifacts, like a gold collar from an ancient pyramid, is not known.