El-Obeid under siege by RSF: Could this be Sudan’s next el-Fasher? | Sudan war News
Humanitarian Crisis Intensifies in El-Obeid Amid Civil War
El-Obeid, Sudan – Approximately 500,000 people are currently trapped in El-Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan state, as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) attempt to assert control over the Kordofan and Darfur regions amidst a civil war that has lasted for three years.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has warned of a looming humanitarian disaster, predicting that El-Obeid may soon experience significant ground clashes between the RSF and the Sudanese military. Various countries have echoed concerns about potential atrocities occurring in the city.
El-Obeid has suffered from continuous drone attacks and has been effectively cut off. The RSF’s previous actions in El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state, have raised alarms, particularly following reports of mass atrocities.
In October 2025, the RSF captured El-Fasher after an 18-month siege. Amnesty International later classified the violence in the area as ethnic cleansing, while a UN independent mission in February indicated that the attacks bore the “hallmarks of genocide.”
The RSF has concentrated its forces around El-Obeid, placing half a million residents, including 105,000 displaced individuals, at severe risk with limited options for escape. The conflict in Sudan ignited in April 2023 when the RSF launched an assault on the capital, Khartoum, and escalated rapidly across the country.
The ongoing conflict is regarded as one of the most severe humanitarian crises globally, with tens of thousands dead and over 14 million people either refugees or internally displaced.
Current Situation in El-Obeid
El-Obeid has been subjected to relentless drone strikes, according to UN High Commissioner Volker Turk. The bombardments have inflicted substantial damage on the city’s infrastructure, disrupting power and water supplies, and impairing medical facilities. The Yale Humanitarian Research Lab has reported a significant electricity and fuel crisis in the region.
Recently, an international coalition comprising countries including Norway, the United Kingdom, Canada, and others, issued a warning about potential atrocities. The coalition’s statement highlighted that at least 50 civilians had died in drone strikes during a recent ten-day period and noted pervasive reports of ethnically targeted violence.
The UN has called on the international community to take action to prevent further catastrophe in Sudan.
Strategic Importance of El-Obeid
El-Obeid occupies a crucial position along the route connecting RSF-controlled Darfur to eastern regions held by the army. Controlling El-Obeid would enable the RSF to regulate material and personnel flow into central Sudan. The government’s 5th Infantry Division and an airbase are located there, as is an oil pipeline and a prominent Arabic gum market.
If the RSF were to gain control of El-Obeid, it would significantly hinder the army’s influence in Kordofan and provide the RSF with a strategic supply route linking western strongholds to the broader country.
Comparisons with El-Fasher’s Experience
Last year, El-Fasher faced horrific violence at the hands of the RSF, leading to thousands of civilian deaths following the Sudanese military’s withdrawal. The RSF had besieged El-Fasher for 18 months before eventually taking it by force. Reports had emerged during that period of severe human rights abuses, including sexual violence and systematic killings.
Experts suggest significant differences exist between El-Obeid and El-Fasher, especially regarding military strategies. According to Leena Badri, a nonresident fellow at the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy, the use of drones in El-Obeid results in siege-like conditions without a full encirclement of the city.
Ahmed Ben Omer, an independent Sudan analyst, expressed concern that prolonged pressure on El-Obeid could result in a humanitarian disaster similar to that experienced in El-Fasher, where residents faced starvation.
Current Conditions in El-Obeid
Residents of El-Obeid are reportedly in dire conditions, resorting to wells and water tanks outside the city due to damaged water supplies. The cost of food has surged by up to 300%, while water prices have doubled and aid access has diminished due to the deteriorating security situation.
UN officials have reiterated that civilians have endured siege-like conditions for 18 months, compounded by continuous drone strikes.
Omer has emphasized the need for intervention from international parties to avert potential disaster, highlighting the influence of countries like the United States and Egypt in the region’s security dynamics.
The Jeddah process, established in May 2023 to negotiate an end to hostilities, has yet to yield lasting results, as fighting resumed shortly after the agreement was reached.