Sudan’s war is endangering the ancient pyramids of Meroe, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as fighting and a lack of security have brought all preservation work to a halt and left the fragile structures exposed to the elements. “The sand has thickened heavily on the pyramids and even inside the temples, and the grass grows thick,” guard Mustafa Ahmed said. Antiquities inspector Mohamed Mubarak said salt released from accumulated sand is attacking the “inherently fragile” stones, eroding ancient inscriptions. Suleiman said climate change, the dispersal of Sudan’s archaeological workforce and the halt of foreign missions have all contributed to “significant deterioration”. UNESCO has warned that more than 100 cultural sites have been damaged and at least 22 museums looted or destroyed since the war began in April 2023.