Geographical Distribution of the Kurds in Eastern Sudan

Abstract

History of Kurdish emigration to Sudan dates back to three different stages: The first stage dates back to the late thirteenth century and Saladin Ayyubid’s era, the second one to Sultan Selim’s era when eastern Sudan territories was invaded by the Ottomans, and the last stage to Muhammad Ali Pasha’s era. During these stages, the Kurds move to Sudan as soldiers and military commanders, and some of them stayed there and did not return to their homelands. The study answers the following questions: Are there Kurds in Eastern Sudan? Which cities are inhabited by the Kurds? How many Kurds are there, why did they stay there and did not they return to their country? The study relies more on data collection through interviews with the Kurds in Sudan. The researcher visited the cities and areas in which the Kurds inhabit. Oral history, narrative historical, and historical analysis methods are used in the study. However, a new style of interview is used, which is called “a mass interview,” in which several people are interviewed at the same place and time, and the most suitable answer is taken into consideration. Moreover, other sources such as books and historical documents are also used. The study concludes by clarifying the history and causes of Kurdish emigration to Sudan, the main region of the Kurds in Sudan, and the number and the influence of the Kurds in Sudan at large.