Thousands of people who sought refuge in Sudan’s army-controlled city of el-Obeid are facing renewed danger as paramilitary Rapid Support Forces fighters advance in North Kordofan, BBC News reports.
The city has become a major shelter for civilians fleeing violence in surrounding areas, according to the UN’s International Organization for Migration. Satellite imagery cited by the BBC shows a sharp expansion of the main displacement camp since March, while aid workers have reported dozens of new arrivals each day.
Mohamed Refaat, the IOM chief of mission in Sudan, said families had “run out of safe options” and that many had already been displaced before.
The UN and G7 foreign ministers have warned that the RSF may be preparing to attack el-Obeid, raising fears of atrocities similar to those reported in el-Fasher. BBC News said thousands were killed in mass executions after the RSF overran army troops defending el-Fasher last October.
The monitoring group Acled said the RSF carried out a record number of drone strikes on el-Obeid in June. The UN estimates that more than 83,000 civilians have fled fighting elsewhere in the state and moved into the city.
Conditions have worsened as displacement camps grow. The UN has warned that nearly 400,000 people in and around el-Obeid face food shortages, with RSF commanders accused of cutting supply routes for months. Islamic Relief told BBC Verify that aid flights via the city’s airport had stopped.
An Islamic Relief humanitarian official said a recent reduction in drone strikes had allowed more aid distribution and some restoration of power, but described the situation as highly unpredictable. The official estimated that around 80 to 100 households were arriving each day because of nearby fighting.
BBC Verify said footage placed RSF fighters within 40km of el-Obeid, and other verified videos showed RSF commanders and fighters pledging to move on the city. Satellite images also suggest the Sudanese military is building a defensive earth wall around el-Obeid.
The Sudanese military said on Monday that it had secured a key highway linking el-Obeid with Khartoum. In response, RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, said he was “unleashing” his fighters and ordered commanders to advance.
Nohad Eltayeb, senior research assistant at Acled, told BBC Verify that el-Obeid is a crucial hub connecting RSF-held western areas with army-held central and White Nile regions.
The EU and G7 have urged external actors to stop providing armed, logistical or financial support to the warring parties. The European Parliament has named the United Arab Emirates as a key backer of the RSF, an allegation Emirati officials have repeatedly denied.
