Executive summary: In August 2024, a shelling attack on the Abu Sitta girls’ school in el-Obeid, Sudan, killed 14 people and injured dozens, including twin sisters Makarem and Ikram. Despite the trauma, the girls have returned to their studies, highlighting the resilience of Sudanese children amidst a devastating civil war.
On a normal school day in August 2024, 18-year-old twins Makarem and Ikram were in separate classrooms when their school in el-Obeid, North Kordofan state, came under fire. Makarem, in an English literature class, felt her shoulder “tilt” as she was struck by shrapnel, while Ikram, in a science lesson, heard the shelling begin. In the chaos, students dropped to the floor, and Makarem was helped by a classmate who noticed her bleeding shoulder. The sisters tried to reach each other but were separated, with Makarem eventually taken to hospital by local residents using cars and animal-drawn carts due to the lack of ambulance services.
The attack killed the twins’ English teacher, Fathiya Khalil Ibrahiem, and 13 of their classmates, with dozens more injured. Makarem suffered a head wound in addition to her shoulder injury and was discharged after basic treatment. However, severe headaches led to a CT scan that revealed a small piece of shrapnel lodged in her head, which remains there over a year later, causing intermittent pain managed with painkillers. Ikram was unharmed as her part of the school wasn’t hit, but she endured the anguish of not knowing her sister’s fate until Makarem returned home later that day.
This incident is part of the broader Sudan civil war, which began in April 2023 and has resulted in over 150,000 deaths and millions displaced, creating what the UN calls the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. The oil-rich Kordofan region, where el-Obeid is located, has become a key frontline due to its strategic importance for controlling Sudan’s oil supply. Regional authorities accuse the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the paramilitary group fighting the Sudanese army, of firing the shells, though the RSF has not commented on the incident, and it’s unclear if the school was intentionally targeted.
The war has severely disrupted education across Sudan, with an estimated 13 million of 17 million school-age children out of school, according to the UN. In North Darfur, under RSF control, only 3% of schools are open. In el-Obeid, the city was under RSF siege for over a year and a half until the Sudanese army regained control in February 2025, leading to relative calm but with dozens of schools converted into shelters for nearly one million displaced people, complicating learning environments.
After three months of renovations, the Abu Sitta school reopened, and Makarem and Ikram, initially hesitant, decided to return after seeing their friends go back. Returning brought painful memories; Ikram would close her eyes to avoid looking at the area where the shelling happened. The school provided psychological support and made beds and nurses available for injured students to take exams in comfort. Despite ongoing drone attacks, students were seen playing and laughing during a BBC visit in December, with the headteacher praising their defiance and loyalty to those lost.
The twins, now 19, are pursuing their education with determination. Ikram has completed school and is studying English at university in el-Obeid, inspired by her late teacher. Makarem aims to become a doctor but did not achieve the required exam score for medical school, partly due to difficulties studying with the shrapnel in her head. She has decided to repeat her school year to retake exams, expressing hope for the future despite the challenges.
The story of Makarem and Ikram underscores the broader struggles of Sudanese children seeking education amid conflict. With schools overcrowded by displaced families and sanitation issues, as noted by North Kordofan’s education minister, the war’s toll continues. Yet, the resilience shown by these girls and their peers offers a glimmer of hope, emphasizing the urgent need for peace and support to restore normalcy for Sudan’s youth.
