Residents of Um Dukhun in Central Darfur say the Rapid Support Forces have begun rehabilitating and paving the road that links Sudan with Chad and the Central African Republic, a development project that reportedly started early last week. Um Dukhun sits at the meeting point of Sudan, Chad and the CAR, around 300 kilometres south of Zalingi, the capital of Central Darfur.
A resident who requested anonymity told local media that heavy machinery began work last Sunday to improve the border route toward Chad and the CAR, particularly in the Al Mazlaqan area. He noted that the RSF’s efforts aim to strengthen trade flow and ease movement for communities on both sides of the border.
He explained that the route has become an important commercial corridor over the past year, with goods such as peanuts, gum arabic, charcoal and ambaz moving from Darfur into Chad. The same road is also used for the transport of gold from the Sangho region into neighbouring markets.
A correspondent in Um Dukhun reported that the sounds of heavy trucks and smaller vehicles can often be heard late at night, especially between 2 am and 4 am, as they travel between Chad and Sudan. He said this reflects the rising economic activity in the area as the RSF works to keep the route operational.
Eyewitnesses say more than thirty heavy vehicles are currently involved in rehabilitating the cross border road, including loaders, rollers and soil transport trucks. The correspondent added that the border area handles a wide range of goods moving in and out of the region, with Um Dukhun acting as a central passage point.
Um Dukhun, which falls under the Central Darfur State administration, is controlled by the RSF and includes more than four border administrative units, among them Abu Jaradil, Kubar and Wastani. Residents say the roadworks are part of broader RSF efforts to maintain services and stability in the tri border zone.
