The Resistance Committees of Sennar city in southeastern Sudan have warned of a severe food shortage due to the ongoing siege by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The Revolutionary Charter Coordination for Establishing People’s Authority in Sennar State stated that flour and rice had disappeared, while the corn, millet and wheat mills had ceased operations due to a continuous 17-day power outage.
Their statement added that the state was facing the threat of famine, putting at risk the lives of four million people, if urgent measures were not taken.
RSF took over the Jebel Moya range on June 26 causing a blockade that has disrupted the trade supply routes from the White Nile State and eastern Sudan.
The supply of flour and fuel to Sennar has been halted due to road closures since the takeover of Sennar and Al-Dinder, with an increase in looting on the dirt roads.
In a separate statement, the Sinnar Youth Assembly reported that RSF had overrun 80 percent of the state, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis with continued market and crop looting.
The coordination recommended forming agricultural cooperatives and planting fast-growing vegetables, as well as establishing solar energy cooperatives to fuel the corn and wheat mills and the oil presses.
The coordination also called on the state’s expatriates to contribute to fundraising efforts to purchase agricultural seeds and solar energy equipment to ensure the cooperatives’ continued operation.
A resident, Fadl Dighiem, told Radio Tamazuj that they were facing extremely complex conditions due to the siege, especially with the onset of the rainy season, which hampers movement amid the lack of necessities.
He revealed instances of children getting lost, noting that most residents had fled to Al-Gedaref and Al-Faw due to the food shortage.