A worsening fuel shortage continued to disrupt life across Khartoum on Monday, with several petrol stations running dry and long queues forming at others despite recent government claims that the crisis had ended.
Local Sudanese media outlet Darfur24 said its reporters found several stations had stopped operating because of shortages of petrol and diesel, while dozens of vehicles queued at those that still had supplies.
The queues caused traffic congestion on several major roads, including Al-Thawra Al-Shanqeeti Street, Al-Thawra Bil-Nus Street and Al-Wadi Street, as well as roads in Salha and Ombada.
Prime Minister Kamil Idris had declared during a visit to a fuel station in Khartoum early last week that the shortage had been completely resolved, saying: “There is no fuel crisis.”
Conditions on the ground, however, appeared to contradict that assessment.
A driver operating an Amjad passenger vehicle told Darfur24 that he had been sleeping in a fuel queue at a station in the Salha district, south of Omdurman, while waiting for supplies.
A public bus driver also criticised officials for repeatedly claiming that fuel was readily available, urging authorities to acknowledge the shortage and address it rather than present a picture that did not reflect conditions on the ground.
Public transport services have also declined sharply as fuel supplies remain scarce, leaving large numbers of passengers stranded at transport stations.
Fares have risen across a number of routes as fewer buses and other public vehicles remain in service, adding further pressure on residents already struggling with deteriorating economic conditions.
Fuel shortages have affected several parts of Sudan in recent weeks, disrupting passenger transport and freight traffic. Some vehicles have been taken out of service entirely, while drivers in several areas have reported waiting for days to obtain fuel.
