Those fleeing the turmoil in Khartoum have gone to Atbara, Sudan, the heart of the revolt that overthrew strongman Omar al-Bashir in 2019.
Two weeks ago, a power struggle between opposing military forces in the capital city dealt another blow to Atbara’s pro-democracy demonstrations, albeit the city was spared the brutal bloodshed that erupted there.
Some visitors have sought lodging in this colonial-era railway hub about 350 kilometers (220 miles) northeast of Khartoum. Others are only passing through on their route to Port Sudan on the Red Sea or the Egyptian border in northern Sudan.
Some people are still undecided about what they want to do.
We fled to Atbara in search of peace and tranquillity after the fighting in Khartoum. ‘We abandoned our homes and lives there, and we don’t know how we’re going to continue,’ said Omeima Yasin, a 35-year-old mother of three.
According to the United Nations, the confrontation between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has driven 33,000 people to flee the capital city.
During the conflict, Khartoum’s airport was targeted and damaged. While some refugees attempted to flee by bus or ship, the vast majority sought refuge in communities outside of the capital.
Protests against Bashir’s dictatorship started in Atbara, a city with a long history of political resistance and a powerful labor movement linked to its railways.
Businesses in this area that would normally see few clients have reaped significant benefits from the unrest in adjacent areas.
“The hotel has never seen this kind of demand as it has since the start of the war,” said the owner of one of the city’s few hotels, “and that’s caused prices to go up to 30,000 Sudanese pounds ($50) a night.”
