An island in the middle of Sudan's capital that used to draw crowds to its Nile River farms now stands nearly deserted after two years of war, its homes ransacked and once-lush fields left fallow.

Nestled at the confluence of the Blue and White Nile rivers, Tuti Island has been devastated by two years of war between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), with residents subjected to violence and looting.

When fighting broke out on April 15, 2023, RSF fighters swiftly captured the crescent-shaped island, forcing residents to flee in panic.

"They fled in feluccas (sailing boats), leaving everything behind," said Youssef al-Naim, 67, one of the handful of residents who never left.

The war has devastated the nation, killed tens of thousands and uprooted 13 million, according to the United Nations.

At the beginning of the war, the RSF had gained control of wide swathes of the capital, outflanking the army in the north and south, before the........

© Al Monitor