Sudanese suffer from siege on western Nuba Mountains

People in Delling locality in South Kordofan live in a deteriorated situation as result of the siege on the region by the Sudanese government.

Residents in Jild, Tymine, Salara, Tuloshi, Tema and in Delling town, in the western part of the Nuba Mountains, suffer from the deterioration of living and health conditions. Several listeners told Radio Dabanga that the deterioration has set in since the outbreak of war between the government and rebel forces in the Nuba Mountains in 2011. 

“The blockade reflected negatively on the entire life of the inhabitants of our region, such as education, health and trade activities,” a listener said.

He said that malaria and bronchitis have spread among children and the elderly. “There is a complete lack of medicine in health centre of the region.”

As a result, people in the area usually resort to the use of traditional medicine such as herbs and roots of plants to treat the injured and the sick.

In Jild, residents told Radio Dabanga that despite the heavy rainfall of this year’s agricultural season, challenges are facing the agriculture in the Nuba Mountains. There is a lack of of vehicles, agricultural equipment, fuel, and seeds.

Fighting

Fierce fighting erupted between government forces and fighters of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) north of Delling in March. Since 2011, the government of Sudan and the SPLM-N have been at war in South Kordofan and Blue Nile. According to the think thank Small Arms Survey, the front lines have not changed substantially since 2012.