Al-Fulah – Sudan Now
Large parts of West Kordofan State are witnessing a rapid deterioration in humanitarian conditions, with most essential goods disappearing from local markets and the prices of available goods soaring. Local sources have warned that the food crisis could worsen significantly in the coming weeks.
Local sources reported that the flow of commercial supplies arriving from El-Obeid has been severely disrupted due to the continued closure of several major roads and a rise in looting incidents targeting trucks and traders along key routes linking North and West Kordofan.
El-Obeid serves as a major commercial hub supplying food and consumer goods to the Kordofan and Darfur states. However, ongoing military operations and the deteriorating security situation over recent months have significantly impacted transport and trade movement between the states.
According to consistent reports, several cargo trucks have been detained or obstructed in different areas, further reducing the volume of goods reaching local markets and leading to an increasing shortage of food supplies and essential commodities.
On the other hand, authorities are imposing restrictions on truck movement toward areas under the control of the RSF via the Northern route – Al-Dabbah – Omdurman – White Nile corridor, requiring official permits for the passage of supplies. These measures have further complicated the movement of goods across the region.
Large parts of West Kordofan have been experiencing difficult living conditions since the outbreak of war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF in April 2023, as repeated clashes and insecurity have disrupted economic activity, reduced trade flows, and forced large numbers of residents to flee their homes.
The shortage of supplies has led to a sharp rise in the prices of basic goods in the few markets that remain operational, while some areas are facing a severe drinking water crisis, with significantly higher costs of water compared to previous periods.
The crisis has also affected the agricultural and pastoral sectors, with local sources reporting a decline in agricultural production and livestock deaths due to water shortages and limited access to grazing areas, in addition to the suspension of large areas of farming activity as a result of the security situation.
Residents and observers warn that continued disruption of supply chains and declining local production could push some areas into more severe levels of food insecurity, unless urgent measures are taken to secure supply routes and
