Kadugli, July 9(Darfur 24)
Residents of Kadugli, the capital of South Kordofan State, are suffering from deteriorating living conditions, amid warnings of an impending humanitarian disaster that could reach the level of famine, according to local sources.
Sources from Kadugli told Darfur 24 that majority of the city’s residents are facing severe food shortages due to rising prices and a scarcity of food supplies, amid a complete absence of humanitarian support provided by relief organizations.
They noted that some families have been unable to eat a single meal for two consecutive days due to their inability to meet the minimum necessities of life amid escalating prices.
This comes after Kadugli fell under a military siege after the SPLM-N and Rapid Support Forces cut off the road to the Na’am market, which supplied the city with food supplies.
The sources revealed that security authorities seized food aid purchased by the World Food Programme (WFP) from a local merchant for distribution to those in need.
According to the sources, this aid was intended for distribution to Kadugli residents in the form of “food baskets,” but the armed forces, represented by the 14th Division in Seref, transferred it to their own warehouses after returning the funds to the organization.
They added, “This action is a devastating blow to humanitarian efforts.” In the city, which has been heavily dependent on food aid provided by international and regional organizations to cope with the effects of the war and economic collapse.
The sources confirmed that there has been a significant increase in food prices in Kadugli markets, making securing food impossible.
The price of a malwa of onions has reached 85,000 Sudanese pounds, a sack of salt (50 kg) is 750,000 Sudanese pounds, a kilo of sugar is 22,000 Sudanese pounds, a malwa of beans is 70,000 Sudanese pounds, a kilo of flour is 20,000 Sudanese pounds, a malwa of corn is 17,000 Sudanese pounds, and a pound of oil is 45,000 Sudanese pounds.
The sources confirmed that a small family of five needs at least 75,000 Sudanese pounds per day to meet its basic food needs. This amount is beyond the means of the vast majority of the population, given the lack of income sources and the absence of job opportunities.
The sources explained that “the emergency rooms operating in the city, which are local initiatives that provided emergency aid to those affected by the war in shelters and families, have been shut down.” The weak, and the authorities have completely halted the activities of humanitarian organizations, and arrested a number of volunteers under the pretext of suspicious sources of funding, in a systematic targeting of humanitarian work in the city,” according to the sources.