Nasser officials seizing all vehicles in the county

Nasser County authorities ordered all people who have vehicles in the county to report them to the county headquarters starting Monday. They say the vehicles will be used to transport the wounded back from Malakal.

Nasser County authorities ordered all people who have vehicles in the county to report them to the county headquarters starting Monday. They say the vehicles will be used to transport the wounded back from Malakal.

Yesterday the Nasser County Executive Director Tuach Benching Domok said they want the owners to hand over their vehicles for use in picking up people who are stuck in Malakal, as well as for “other official purposes.”

“Anyone who has cars must from today register their name at the county headquarters; we don’t want to take your car but to help our people who are in Malakal. The county authority will provide fuel for transport of those who are sick, wounded,” said Tuach.

Nasser County is currently under control of forces opposed to the South Sudanese government led by Salva Kiir. Many troops from the state are on the frontline farther west in Upper Nile State.

Traders in the town, meanwhile, said they are no longer importing fuel from Ethiopia because they do not have any more big customers. The Nasser market ran out of all of types of fuel since the crisis began in mid-December.

Mathor Sidiq, a trader in Nasser, says they used to bring fuel on request of big customers like Zain Network, bulk traders and other telecom companies.

There is still some fuel remaining in the county, however, which is being used to power at least three generators at key places in the town. Also some consumable goods continue to be imported from Ethiopia including sorghum, maize and wheat flour.

Reporting by Sobat FM

Related coverage: Prison service in Nasser searches for 40 escaped inmates (15 Jan.)