Thursday, July 18, 2024

Sudan Tribune

Plural news and views on Sudan

Sennar faces famine as RSF siege cuts off food and fuel supplies

Families that have fled to Sennar from Wad Madani have no choice but to settle outside in makeshift tents. (NRC photo)

July 17, 2024 (SENNAR) – Sennar, a city in southeast Sudan, is on the brink of famine due to a siege by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The RSF’s control of key supply routes has cut off the city’s access to food and fuel, leaving residents without basic necessities.

Resistance committees in Sennar report that flour and rice have completely disappeared from markets, and grain mills have been shut down due to a lack of electricity. The situation has been exacerbated by the RSF’s looting of markets and crops in surrounding villages.

The Revolutionary Charter Coordination for the Establishment of People’s Authority in Sennar State warns that the city’s four million residents could face starvation if urgent solutions are not found.

The group has proposed forming agricultural cooperatives and solar energy cooperatives to help address the crisis. It has also called on Sudanese living abroad to donate money to purchase seeds and solar panels.

Humanitarian organizations have intensified their warnings about the growing hunger crisis in Sudan, where 25.6 million people are already suffering from severe hunger.