Zalingei, May 22 (Darfur24)
Traders in Zalingei, the capital of Central Darfur State, say the Rapid Support Forces (RSF)-aligned civil administration has imposed compulsory financial fees on shops in the city’s main market, sparking fears of further economic decline and additional shop closures.
Al-Zein Al-Nour, a trader in Zalingei market, told Darfur24 that authorities imposed fees reaching up to 1.5 million Sudanese pounds on some businesses, while the minimum charge stands at around 100,000 pounds despite weak purchasing power, severe cash shortages and the absence of some currency denominations in local markets.
He said the measures were enforced by military authorities and affected around 900 permanent shops in the central market, including gold stores, household goods shops, clothing merchants, and food vendors.
According to Al-Nour, fees for some commercial activities ranged between 1 million and 1.5 million pounds, while restaurants, cafés and carpentry workshops were charged between 700,000 and 100,000 pounds depending on the nature of their business.
Another trader, who requested anonymity, told Darfur24 that the new charges are separate from zakat contributions, market security fees imposed by the RSF, annual licensing costs and cleaning fees collected by local authorities.
He said traders were given the choice between paying the fees or facing arrest until payment is made, despite worsening economic conditions and declining consumer demand largely limited to essential goods.
The trader added that many businesses have already shut down since the outbreak of the war, while numerous merchants fled to Chad and South Sudan. Those who remain, he said, are facing mounting financial pressures and repeated monthly collections carried out without official receipts or documentation.
Darfur24 was unable to obtain an official response from the Central Darfur civil administration regarding the allegations by the time of publication.