By Abdullahi Yusuf

Sudanese academic Ishag Ali Mohamed was forced to leave everything behind because of the fighting in Sudan, but the sense of community he eventually found in Somalia made him feel right at home. The PhD holder settled in Mogadishu where he teaches Arabic as a second language at the Somali Digital Media Academy.

Mohamed has found a new sense of belonging in the Somali capital among the city’s large Sudanese community. During the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, that sense of connection and togetherness is even stronger. Members of the community gather to break their fast over the iftar meal, sharing traditional dishes like aseeda and balila.

Every Ramadan, the Sudanese community in Mogadishu organizes a five-a-side football tournament, which includes Somali players. “As you can see behind me, love brings us together,” Mohamed said from the sidelines at one of the games. Eight teams are competing in the tournament this year, and the knockout rounds were underway over the weekend. “This is how we spend all of Ramadan, filled with beautiful activities. And it almost feels like you’re not in a foreign land,” the teacher said. Mohamed’s path to the safety that he has found in Somalia was anything but easy.

Sudan was plunged into chaos in 2023 when simmering tensions between the military and the powerful paramilitary Rapid Support Forces exploded into open warfare across the country. Mohamed recalls being trapped in his home with his family for months, listening to the sounds of bombs outside. “One of the most painful incidents was when I was at home with my family, and a massive ‘dana’ explosive (shell) fell on our house” he said. “It destroyed a wall, cut down trees and shattered doors. The entire neighborhood thought we had died.” At least 20,000 people have been killed in the fighting in Sudan, though the number is likely far higher.

The war has driven more than 14 million people from their homes and pushed parts of the country into famine.