Key facts
- UN human rights chief Volker Turk has warned of a human rights catastrophe in al-Obeid, Sudan.
- The city is under siege by the UAE-backed Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
- RSF drone strikes have targeted vital infrastructure, including power, water, markets, and fuel depots.
- Damage to civilian infrastructure has been confirmed by satellite imagery analysis.
- The conflict has led to severe shortages of fuel and water, and a sharp increase in the prices of basic goods.
- International powers have warned about the situation but have not publicly criticized the UAE's support for the RSF.
The United Nations human rights chief, Volker Turk, has issued a stark warning about an unfolding human rights catastrophe in al-Obeid, Sudan, urging immediate global action. The city, capital of North Kordofan, is currently under siege by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group reportedly backed by the United Arab Emirates. Residents describe immense suffering, including relentless drone strikes that have targeted vital civilian infrastructure such as electricity substations, water facilities, markets, and fuel depots.
Abdullah, a lawyer in el-Obeid, told Middle East Eye that the war has caused suffering beyond comprehension, with the RSF bombarding civilians and essential services. Satellite imagery analyzed by Yale's Humanitarian Research Lab confirms intentional damage to civilian infrastructure, including at least eight gas stations in a recent one-month period. The RSF's attacks on cargo trucks on the main highway into the city have severely disrupted the movement of goods, leading to soaring prices for food, bread, and medicine.
The fuel shortage has crippled public transportation, and the cost of fuel and water has skyrocketed. Many hospitals are forced to shut down due to power outages, and clean drinking water is scarce, with the city relying on internal wells and external tankers that are also targeted. Parents are increasingly fearful of sending their children to school amidst the ongoing violence.
Despite the dire situation, international powers like the UK and US have issued warnings but have not publicly condemned the UAE's alleged support for the RSF. The RSF's presence in the surrounding countryside and nearby towns, coupled with intense drone activity over el-Obeid, has created a climate of fear. However, the Sudanese army maintains control of the city, with an advisor to the Transitional Sovereignty Council stating that this control prevents massacres similar to those witnessed in el-Fasher.