In Nyala town, South Darfur state, a group of young individuals has launched an initiative to restore the Nyala University library, which fell victim to vandalism during the ongoing war in Sudan.

Members of the Al-Qandul Initiative, led by Mohammed Al-Tahir Mohammed, are actively collecting and organizing books and references in the central library of Nyala University, located in the Musiya suburb.

Nyala University faced looting and vandalism by unknown assailants at the onset of the conflict between the army and the Rapid Support Forces in mid-April last year.

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Tuesday, Al-Tahir described the extensive destruction suffered by the university and highlighted the significant efforts made by the youth in the Qandul Initiative.

He stated, “Through the collective endeavours of our youth, we’ve successfully gathered and arranged books and references from the university library. However, there is still substantial work ahead to restore it to its former state.”

Al-Tahir urged the youth of Nyala to join the Al-Qandul Initiative in voluntary work to contribute to the restoration of institutions in Nyala impacted by war, emphasizing the collective effort required for this endeavour.

Samira Suleiman, another member of the initiative, called on the university authorities to relocate the salvaged books to a safer location than their current one.

Nyala University, situated in the Musiya suburb southeast of Nyala, approximately ten kilometers from downtown, holds significance as one of the largest libraries in the Darfur region.

Khalid Mursal emphasized the library's status as a knowledge treasure trove and stated, “Enhancing its appearance signifies progress on the path to recovery.” The restoration efforts are seen as crucial for the revival of this educational institution.