Omdurman

Omdurman (Arabic: Umm Durmān, meaning "Mother of Durmān," though the identity of this figure is unknown) is Sudan’s second-largest city. It sits in the State of Khartoum, on the west bank of the Nile, northwest of the capital, Khartoum. The city is a key road junction, and the Nile also aids transport.

The city grew quickly after the siege of Khartoum and the construction of the Mahdi’s tomb following his death from typhus. In 1898, the Battle of Omdurman—fought near the village of Kerreri—saw Lord Kitchener’s 20,000 well-trained British troops, armed with Maxim guns and Martini-Henry rifles, defeat over 52,000 poorly armed Sudanese dervishes in just five hours. At least 10,000 Sudanese died, while British casualties were under 400, with 48 killed. Kitchener then desecrated the Mahdi’s tomb; Winston Churchill later wrote that he “carried off the Mahdi’s head in a kerosene can as a trophy.” The following year, British forces defeated the Khalifa, Abdallahi ibn Muhammad, at the Battle of Umm Diwaykarat, securing British control. From 1899 to 1956, Sudan was jointly ruled by Britain and Egypt. Though most of Omdurman was destroyed in the battle, the Mahdi’s tomb was later restored. On 10 May 2008, the Darfur rebel group Justice and Equality Movement entered the city, fighting heavy battles with government forces in an attempt to overthrow Omar al-Bashir. During the Sudanese civil war, the Rapid Support Forces occupied Omdurman from April 2023 to May 2025.

The city includes the neighborhood of Ombadda. Its climate is hot and arid, with rain mostly in summer—about 155 mm annually. Omdurman is one of the world’s hottest major cities, with summer temperatures routinely above 40°C. The average annual high is 37.1°C; six months average at least 38°C, and no month has an average high below 30°C. January and February nights are relatively cool, with lows just above 15°C.

Public universities include Karary University, Omdurman Islamic University, and the University of the Holy Quran and Islamic Sciences. Private universities are Ahfad University for Women, Omdurman Ahlia University, and the University of Science and Technology - Omdurman. The city is served by Khartoum Airport. A new airport, proposed in 2005 about 50 km south of Omdurman, was estimated to cost $530 million and be completed by 2012. Construction began in 2019, was suspended in 2021, and finished in December 2025.

Omdurman’s central location near the national capital connects it to other Sudanese state capitals via paved and seasonal roads. Within the city, transport includes yellow taxis, city buses, larger buses, three-wheeled tuk-tuks (called “raqshas” in Khartoum), trains, and Nile ferries. As one of three capital cities, Omdurman is linked to Khartoum and Khartoum Bahri by several bridges over the Blue and White Niles.

Notable people include human rights activist Haga Kashif Badri, astrophysicist Widad Ibrahim Elmahboub, professor Gasim Badri, photographer Salih Basheer, photographer Ola Alsheikh, painter Kamala Ibrahim Ishaq, artist Omer Khairy, former diplomat Ibrahim El-Salahi, filmmaker Hussein Shariffe, singer Nancy Agag, singer Kamal Tarbas, singer Mohamed Badawi, and singer Rasha.