Blockade causing commodity crisis in El Fasher

The border areas of North Darfur and North Kordofan are suffering from a scarcity of commodities as well as a large hike in prices. The secretary for Commerce in El Fasher, Rashid Makki Babiker said that there was a severe crisis caused by the shortage of fuel. Security authorities are heavily regulating gas sales in the area. He said authorities need to secure the arrival of goods into Darfur, particularly sugar, flour and fuel to try to alleviate the crisis. The secretary also called for the government to compensate those traders that have been affected, to allow them to conduct business.