Stories of women who fought for the liberation of South Sudan
Meet the Veterans of Katiba Banat
In Sudan, in the early 1980s, thousands of children displaced by the civil war enlisted or were conscripted into the Sudanese People’s Liberation Army (SPLA). Among them were scores of teenage girls.
En route to training camp, the young recruits overcame inhospitable weather, attacks by animals, constant gunfire, dehydration and hunger. As they travelled, trained, and fought together, they formed a strong bond of sisterhood that endures to this day.
Through their resilience and determination, many of the women of the Katiba Banat went on to create new lives filled with opportunity and hope for their own children in Canada and all around the world.
Discover the History of South Sudan
From Colonization to Independence
The region that comprises modern day South Sudan has been subject to invasion for thousands of years, both by neighbouring African countries raiding for slaves and resources and by colonizing European empires attempting to impose governance from afar.
Learn about the history of the long struggle for sovereignty that tested the unity of the tribes of the South and ultimately gave birth to a nation.
The Documentary
Katiba Banat: Sisters in Arms uncovers the hidden stories of Canadian women who fought as soldiers in the Second Sudanese Civil War. As they plan a reunion to celebrate the bonds of sisterhood they formed against the backdrop of war, they reflect on their legacy as girls who liberated a nation.
The five part docuseries is produced and directed by Sudanese-Canadian multi-disciplinary artist Adhel Arop, a daughter of a veteran of the women's regiment, and first aired on Omni TV from June 11th to July 9th, 2023.
