Eastern Chad , June 9(Darfur 24)
A tour by a “Darfur 24” correspondent in the market of the Adikong area, 20 km west of the city of El Geneina, the capital of West Darfur State, revealed that three armed groups were collecting money from goods and food supplies coming from the state of Chad.
Darfur 24 correspondent said that the Adikong border area is experiencing an unprecedented demand for purchasing food supplies and imported goods that arrive across the Chadian border.
He pointed out that there are three armed groups based in the office in the border region to collect money from the goods and food supplies that come loaded into commercial cars and horse-drawn carts.
He added: “These groups are represented by the Rapid Support Forces, which are supervised by an officer with the rank of first lieutenant, along with forces called the resistance, which is one of the armed groups allied with the Rapid Support, and another group, which is a local committee of citizens of the border villages.”
The correspondent reported that the total fees imposed on each “caro” amount to 10,000 pounds, with the three armed groups receiving 6,000 pounds, while the Ministry of Finance in West Darfur receives 4,000 pounds.
“Darfur 24” monitored the passage of more than 100 caravans per day, while the number increases on the main market days, Friday and Tuesday.
The Adekong area is considered a major commercial area in the border strip between Chad and Sudan, and it displays all food supplies coming from other countries through Chad, in addition to fuel. Purchasing operations are carried out in the Sudanese currencies and the African franc, as there are no restrictions on entry and exit to and from the two countries.