Abyei traders count losses as fire consumes businesses, products
By Correspondent
Traders in Amiet Agok County in the Abyei Administrative Area are counting losses after fire swept through Amiet market over the weekend.
Osman Chol, chairperson of the Abyei Chamber of Commerce, told the media that the fires destroyed large quantities of goods and caused heavy damage to the shops.
He, however, said the cause of the fires remains unclear and no arrests had so far been made.
“The fire broke out on Friday night. This is the seventh such incident, and we have not yet been able to determine the cause of the fire or assess the damage,” he said.
He added that the fires affected businesses owned by both local residents and foreign traders from Ethiopia and Eritrea.
Chol urged traders in the market to accept the authorities’ plan to redesign the market to ensure future fires are prevented. “Concrete buildings are the solution to combat recurring fire outbreaks,” he said.
Chol reported that the fire destroyed approximately 150,000 bags of sorghum, 200,000 bags of sugar, 300,000 bags of flour, and more than 150,000 bunches of cooking oil, along with large sums of cash in various currencies.
The fire also damaged nearby homes. He called on county authorities to improve roads and walkways in the market area, blaming poor communication systems in Amiet for hampering emergency response efforts.
Atyak Kual, a local tea seller, said her stall and all its contents—including cups, plates, and kettles—were reduced to ashes.
However, no injuries were reported in the fires.
In February 2017, fire destroyed more than 50 shops at Amiet market in the territory of Abyei between Sudan and South Sudan.
The market, located near a contested territory in Abyei, was established in 2016 to sustain peace between the Ngok Dinka and Misseriya tribes in the area.
