Thousands of civilians who fled to el-Obeid to escape Sudan’s civil war now face renewed peril as paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) prepare to target the city. This North Kordofan location serves as a strategic gateway, drawing intense conflict between the RSF and the Sudanese military.
Despite being held by the army, el-Obeid has become a primary refuge for thousands, causing displacement camps to expand rapidly since March. Mohamed Refaat, the IOM chief of mission in Sudan, noted that families have exhausted their safe options and are being displaced yet again.
International observers, including the UN and G7, fear that an RSF victory could lead to atrocities similar to those seen in el-Fasher last October. Verified imagery confirms heavily armed RSF units moving near the city, while drone strikes have already damaged local infrastructure and hampered food supplies. The city is currently enduring a functional siege, with approximately 400,000 residents suffering from severe shortages.
The Sudanese military has attempted to bolster its defenses by constructing earth barriers around the city. Meanwhile, the strategic importance of el-Obeid as a link between RSF-controlled western areas and government-held territories has prompted urgent diplomatic calls for external actors to cease supporting the warring parties.
