Key facts
- Fears of a massacre are growing in el-Obeid, Sudan, a key city on the front line of the civil war.
- The city has been subjected to intense drone strikes, with 27 recorded in June alone.
- At least 45 people were killed and 41 injured in drone attacks between June 6 and 28, according to the UN.
- Human rights organizations warn of potential atrocities, drawing parallels to violence seen in el-Fasher.
- The strategic importance of el-Obeid lies in its position controlling routes to the capital, Khartoum.
Fears are mounting for the Sudanese city of el-Obeid, a critical front-line location in the ongoing civil war, as drone attacks intensify and human rights organizations warn of a potential massacre. The city, capital of North Kordofan state, has been under siege-like conditions for 18 months, with the army currently in control but struggling to repel strikes from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
In June alone, el-Obeid experienced 27 drone strikes, the highest monthly total since the conflict began. The UN human rights chief, Volker Turk, reported that at least 45 people were killed and 41 injured in 15 separate drone attacks between June 6 and 28. He described the situation as a "human rights catastrophe unfolding in Sudan," citing summary executions, abductions, torture, and sexual violence along escape routes.
El-Obeid's strategic importance lies in its position between RSF-controlled western Sudan and army-controlled eastern territories. Controlling el-Obeid is crucial for access to the capital, Khartoum, and its twin city, Omdurman. A doctor at a local hospital described the overwhelming influx of casualties, with injuries often involving limbs and heads, and recounted the tragic case of a seven-month-old baby who died after a severe hand injury.
Amnesty International has warned that el-Obeid could face violence on a scale similar to that seen in el-Fasher, where the RSF captured the city after an 18-month siege. However, Nathaniel Raymond of Yale University's Humanitarian Research Lab noted that el-Obeid does not currently exhibit the same ethnic dynamics as el-Fasher and that there is no indication of a large-scale RSF plan to attack the city. Acled analyst Nohad Eltayeb reported that while the RSF has encircled the city from three sides, army reinforcements are maintaining a vital supply corridor, making a complete RSF takeover improbable.
The drone strikes have predominantly targeted fuel stations and tankers, with some reports of water and sewage trucks being hit. This has led to fuel shortages and significant price increases. Attacks on the city's electrical substation, residential areas, and markets aim to cripple daily life, potentially leading to waterborne diseases if water pumps cease functioning due to lack of fuel and electricity. El-Obeid hosts approximately 100,000 internally displaced people who had sought safety there, but many now fear they will have to flee again as the drone strikes intensify, creating an atmosphere of constant fear and sleepless nights.