Arabic version: الأبيض تواجه تهديداً جديداً مع تقدم قوات الدعم السريع
According to BBC News, thousands of people seeking refuge in the Sudanese city of el-Obeid are again under threat as the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) advances in North Kordofan. The army-controlled city has become a key shelter for people escaping violence in surrounding areas, despite continuing strikes. The International Organization for Migration said satellite imagery showed its main displacement camp had expanded significantly since March, while aid workers reported dozens of new arrivals each day.
The UN estimates that more than 83,000 civilians have fled fighting elsewhere in the state and sought shelter in el-Obeid. Mohamed Refaat, the IOM chief of mission in Sudan, said families had run out of safe options, with many displaced repeatedly and forced to leave homes, livelihoods and support networks. Nearly 400,000 people near the city are facing food shortages, the UN warned last week, following months of efforts by RSF commanders to cut supply routes.
Fears of an assault have intensified after verified footage showed heavily armed RSF troops in armoured trucks in Nyala, a nearby RSF stronghold, pledging to “liberate” el-Obeid. Other verified footage placed fighters within 40km of the city. The RSF launched a record number of drone strikes on el-Obeid in June, according to Armed Conflict Location and Event Data. Strikes damaged critical infrastructure, while aid flights arriving through the airport have stopped, Islamic Relief told BBC Verify.
The Sudanese military appears to be reinforcing the city, with satellite images suggesting it is constructing a defensive earth wall around el-Obeid. The military also said it had secured a vital highway connecting the city with Khartoum. Nohad Eltayeb of Acled described el-Obeid as a critical junction between RSF-controlled western territories and military-held central and White Nile regions. The UN and G7 foreign ministers have warned of possible atrocities, calling on external actors to halt armed, logistical or financial support to the conflict’s parties.
