El Obeid: A City Under Siege
Fatima, an aid volunteer whose name has been changed for safety, has lost track of the number of drone attacks on El Obeid, a city in Sudan currently under siege. She described the recent weekend attacks as the most violent to date, with drones targeting schools and fuel stations, resulting in over 20 fatalities, including students.
“Over the past few months, seeing 40 or 45 drones is the norm. You can literally count them,”
said Fatima.
El Obeid, home to approximately half a million people, has become a critical battleground in the ongoing conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The RSF's attacks have raised alarms from the United Nations and other organizations about the potential for atrocities.
Situated between RSF-controlled areas in western Darfur and army-held regions to the east, El Obeid has endured repeated drone strikes targeting its infrastructure. The SAF is actively engaged in efforts to prevent the RSF from establishing another blockade following a siege that occurred in February of the previous year.
Casualties and Human Rights Concerns
Between 6 June and 28 June, the UN human rights office reported at least 45 deaths and 41 injuries resulting from 15 drone strikes in El Obeid and its surrounding areas. There is growing apprehension about a recurrence of last year's events, when RSF fighters launched a violent rampage after capturing the city following an 18-month siege.
Amnesty International issued a statement on Wednesday accusing the RSF of ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity during its campaign to seize El Fasher. An independent UN fact-finding mission had previously reported that the RSF's capture of the city demonstrated a pattern of
“systematic targeting”against non-Arab communities.
International Response and Warnings
On Friday, Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, addressed delegates in Geneva during an urgent debate at the UN Human Rights Council, convened by the UK and supported by Germany, Ireland, Norway, and the Netherlands.
“The signs from El Obeid are clear and unmistakable: another human rights catastrophe is unfolding in Sudan.
This is not a drill. It is a red alert that needs to land on the desks of heads of state and government around the world. Their phones should be running hot in the coming days and weeks, with ideas on how to prevent atrocity crimes in El Obeid and in other places in Kordofan.”
El Obeid hosts an SAF infantry division and an airbase, along with approximately 100,000 refugees displaced by the ongoing violence.
Military Movements and Infrastructure Damage
Experts have noted significant concentrations of RSF troops surrounding the city, raising concerns about a potential ground offensive. A report released on Monday by the Yale Humanitarian Research Lab documented damage to electricity generation, fuel storage facilities, and the main market, describing it as
“consistent with intentional bombardment of civilian infrastructure necessary for the sustainment of life.”
The report also highlighted an increase of over 700 temporary structures at internally displaced persons camps in El Obeid within a month, indicating a recent influx of vulnerable civilians into the city.
Additionally, the SAF has constructed approximately 30 miles (50 kilometers) of defensive positions, suggesting preparations for a possible siege.
Nohad Eltayeb, a senior research assistant at the ACLED conflict monitoring group, reported that 27 drone strikes were recorded around El Obeid last month, marking the highest monthly total since the conflict began in 2023.
Life Under Constant Threat
In an audio diary for the Avaaz human rights advocacy group, Fatima described the precariousness of daily life amid drone attacks targeting hospitals, fuel stations, and other vital facilities. She recounted a recent strike on the city’s main power station, which caused widespread blackouts.
Drones have also targeted groups of people gathering to access Starlink internet connections when telecommunications networks fail.
“I cannot begin to describe how terrible the situation is right now,”
Fatima said.
“Even the way people talk at funerals is different. Instead of praying for the deceased, they would be talking about how they died.”
She also noted that merchants have raised prices, citing drone attacks on goods en route to El Obeid or looting as reasons for increased costs.
Ahlam, another humanitarian worker who requested anonymity, stated that residents have become accustomed to enduring pain, loss, and fear due to the persistent drone strikes.
“In just the past two weeks, nearly every essential service and piece of critical infrastructure has been hit,”
she said.
Ahlam added that some residents have contemplated leaving the city, but attacks on fuel stations have driven up prices, making transportation prohibitively expensive. She expressed concern about the severe consequences if the conflict escalates, especially given the already large displaced population in El Obeid.
Perspectives and Calls for Action
Will Davies, Sudan director at Avaaz, described the situation in El Obeid as
“extremely dire.”He noted that the city lacks the ethnic dynamics that contributed to the violence in El Fasher and suggested that a major ground offensive is unlikely due to insufficient forces.
Mohamed Badawi, director at the African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies, called for an immediate ceasefire and urged the international community to advocate for the establishment of safe corridors to allow civilians to flee El Obeid.
Background of the Conflict
The conflict began in April 2023 following a power struggle between the SAF, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the RSF, commanded by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo. The violence erupted in the capital, Khartoum, and has since resulted in thousands of deaths and widespread displacement.
The war has been exacerbated by foreign powers with vested interests, who have provided support to both sides.
On Monday, the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights, along with a coalition of civil organizations, submitted a complaint to the International Criminal Court accusing foreign actors of
“aiding and abetting atrocity crimes”in Darfur. They alleged that these actors supplied arms, mercenaries, equipment, financing, and logistical support to the conflicting parties.
