OMDURMAN, Sudan (AP) — As the crescent moon signaling the start of Ramadan approaches, shoppers stream through the markets of Omdurman, their arms laden with flour, sugar and cooking oil. The hum of bargaining and the shuffle of feet offer a familiar rhythm in Sudan’s second-largest city. Yet behind the bustle lies a nation battered by war and squeezed by deepening economic hardship.
The Muslim holy month, typically marked by communal meals and charitable giving, arrives this year under the shadow of a conflict that erupted on April 15, 2023, when fighting broke out in Khartoum between Sudan’s military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, or RSF. The two factions had previously joined forces in a 2021 power seizure but later turned their weapons on each other, plunging the country into chaos.
In Omdurman’s markets, families prepare as best they can.
“Prices are too high during peak seasons,” said Saleh Mubarak, who fled Khartoum and now lives in Omdurman. He described tightly packed crowds and merchants raising prices ahead of Ramadan. “It is crowded here, and traders take advantage of special occasions to raise prices,” he said.
His frustration mirrors that of many Sudanese confronting record costs for staple goods. Inflation and supply disruptions have pushed basic food items beyond the reach of countless households, straining traditions central to Ramadan, including communal iftar meals at sunset.
Across Sudan, the war has upended livelihoods, shuttered businesses and hollowed out entire neighborhoods. Khartoum, once the country’s commercial and political heart, saw widespread destruction as artillery fire and street battles forced residents to flee. Though some activity has resumed in parts of the capital and neighboring Omdurman, recovery remains fragile.
Othman Youssef, a merchant from Khartoum, said he reopened his shop several months after hostilities subsided in his area. He characterized demand as strong and described prices as moderate.
“I came to the market and opened my shop three or four months after the end of the war,” Youssef said. “There is high demand from customers, and prices are reasonable, neither high nor low, rather moderate.”
Other traders express guarded hope.
“We came back about a month and a half ago,” said Abd El Hameed Abd El Rahman, who returned to his business after fleeing earlier violence. He said conditions have improved compared to the height of the fighting. “Things aren’t as bad as they were before. The situation has improved; people are working again, the market is recovering, and we feel safe,” he said. Still, he noted that many merchants suffered heavy losses. “Some traders lost their goods, and I am one of them.”
While pockets of commerce signal resilience, the broader humanitarian landscape remains dire. United Nations data indicate that more than 14 million Sudanese have been displaced inside and beyond the country’s borders since the conflict began. Tens of thousands have been killed. Over half the population — roughly 21 million people — are experiencing acute hunger, according to U.N. estimates.
For millions, Ramadan will unfold not around abundant family tables but in makeshift shelters and overcrowded camps. Aid agencies warn that food insecurity has reached alarming levels, with children and the elderly particularly vulnerable.
The juxtaposition is stark: in Omdurman, shoppers haggle over dates and lentils; elsewhere, families rely on dwindling humanitarian supplies. Sudan, a nation where Ramadan has long been defined by neighborhood generosity and open-air iftar gatherings, now confronts a fractured social fabric.
The conflict has also disrupted supply chains critical to food distribution. Agricultural production in several regions has been curtailed by insecurity, while transportation routes remain unreliable. Economists say the combination of currency depreciation, damaged infrastructure and reduced exports has intensified price volatility.
Despite these hardships, Ramadan carries symbolic weight in Sudan, where the vast majority of citizens are Muslim. The month traditionally fosters community solidarity and spiritual renewal. In neighborhoods scarred by violence, some residents say they are determined to preserve that spirit.
Mosques in relatively stable districts have begun organizing modest iftar meals, funded through small donations. Community leaders describe these efforts as a way to counter despair and maintain social cohesion amid prolonged uncertainty.
Sudan’s experience this Ramadan underscores a broader reality: the conflict has evolved from a political power struggle into a multidimensional national crisis. What began as a confrontation between rival armed factions has rippled outward, destabilizing food systems, eroding purchasing power, and reshaping demographic patterns through mass displacement.
The reopening of markets in Omdurman suggests that localized stability can spur economic revival. However, such recovery remains uneven and vulnerable to renewed violence. Without a comprehensive ceasefire and political settlement, any gains are likely to be fragile.
Moreover, inflation during Ramadan, when demand typically surges, exposes structural weaknesses in Sudan’s economy. In times of stability, seasonal price increases might be manageable. In a war-ravaged environment, they deepen inequality, disproportionately affecting displaced families and wage earners whose incomes have evaporated.
The humanitarian statistics point to a longer-term challenge. With over half the population facing acute hunger, the risk of entrenched poverty looms large. Prolonged food insecurity can undermine health outcomes, educational attainment, and workforce participation, compounding the country’s recovery hurdles.
International engagement will likely play a decisive role. Humanitarian corridors, sustained funding for relief operations, and diplomatic pressure aimed at de-escalation could mitigate the crisis. Yet aid alone cannot substitute for political resolution.
As Sudanese families mark Ramadan, some in revived markets, others in tents far from home, the contrast highlights both resilience and vulnerability. The month’s emphasis on charity and reflection may offer moments of solace. But without durable peace and economic stabilization, the underlying hardships are unlikely to fade.
For now, in Omdurman’s crowded stalls, the rhythms of commerce coexist with uncertainty. Beneath the lanterns and sacks of grain, a nation observes its holiest month while navigating one of the darkest chapters in its modern history.
