Sudanese City Reopens After Two-Year Siege, Drone Threat Remains

Dilling, South Kordofan’s Second Largest City Reopens After Two-Year Siege

The city of Dilling in South Kordofan state has reopened its markets after a nearly two-year blockade by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N). The blockade, which began in 2021, had severely restricted access to vital supplies, leaving residents without essential goods. According to local traders, fresh produce has begun to reappear in stalls, including okra, potatoes, sweet potatoes, chillies, and lemons.

The resumption of trade has brought some relief to the city’s economy, but deep scars left by the isolation remain. The blockade had devastated the local infrastructure, leaving residents without access to basic necessities like food and medicine. The city’s main hospital is currently facing a severe shortage of equipment and essential medicines, which has had significant consequences for the most vulnerable populations.

Despite the lifting of the blockade, the security situation in Dilling remains precarious. Authorities have reported almost daily drone strikes launched by the RSF and SPLM-N, targeting infrastructure and residential areas. Local residents, including Maryam, a mother who has been displaced multiple times by the conflict, described the terror of unmanned aerial vehicles hovering over their homes.

The Sudanese army has asserted control over access routes, but the situation remains unstable. The lifting of the siege is seen as a “glimmer of hope” for the city’s recovery, but experts warn that rebuilding the shattered health system and fending off persistent military attacks will be a long-term challenge.

Source: Al Jazeera