'No safe options' for thousands sheltering in key Sudan city as RSF fighters advance

Thousands of civilians who have fled to el‑Obeid in search of safety from Sudan’s ongoing civil war now find themselves under renewed threat as Rapid Support Forces (RSF) fighters prepare to assault the army‑held city. Clashes between the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces have intensified in North Kordofan, a strategic corridor that both sides view as a gateway to contested territory. Displaced families have poured into el‑Obeid, which remains heavily defended by the military despite continual strikes. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) described the city as a vital refuge for people escaping violence in the surrounding areas. Satellite imagery shows the main displacement camp expanding markedly since March, with aid workers reporting dozens of new arrivals each day. “Families person tally retired of harmless options to support themselves,” Mohamed Refaat, IOM main of ngo successful Sudan, said. “Many person already been displaced earlier and are erstwhile again forced to permission down their homes, livelihoods and enactment networks.” The United Nations and G7 foreign ministers have warned that the RSF may be preparing to attack the city, raising fears of atrocities similar to those witnessed in el‑Fasher. Thousands of civilians were killed in mass executions after the paramilitary overran SAF troops defending el‑Fasher in October 2023, one of the worst atrocities since the war began. Concerns about comparable reprisals in el‑Obeid have grown for weeks, and verified footage shows dozens of heavily armed RSF troops in armoured trucks stationed in Nyala, a nearby stronghold, vowing to “liberate” the city. According to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED), the RSF launched a series of drone strikes on el‑Obeid in June. The frequency of attacks declined in July as the RSF redirected its efforts to respond to Sudanese army offensives elsewhere. Satellite images reveal that, despite the strikes, the displacement camp has continued to swell, with hundreds of additional tents erected since March. The UN estimates that more than 83,000 civilians have fled fighting in other parts of the state and sought shelter in el‑Obeid. As the camps have grown, conditions have deteriorated. Last week the UN warned that roughly 400,000 people in the city’s vicinity are facing food shortages after a sustained effort by RSF commanders to cut off supply routes, creating what one UN official called a “functional siege.” Local residents said that aid convoys attempting to reach el‑Obeid have been targeted by drone strikes. Islamic Relief, which operates assistance stations in the city, told BBC Verify that flights delivering aid via the airport have also been suspended. Humanitarian workers noted that food and water shortages have been worsened by RSF drone strikes on critical infrastructure. Verified video from the previous month showed a massive explosion at a fuel depot in the city centre following one such strike, while satellite imagery indicates damage to power stations and supply warehouses in the market district. An aid worker with Islamic Relief said the recent slowdown in drone strikes has eased conditions in the city, but emphasized that although more assistance is being distributed and some power has been restored, the situation remains highly “unpredictable,” with fuel shortages persisting. “Every time we are seeing caller arrivals owed to warring successful areas astir El-Obeid. It is not imaginable to get the nonstop fig of radical who are arriving connected a regular basis, but it would beryllium astir 80 oregon 100 households daily,” the assistance idiosyncratic said. RSF fighters and leaders have repeatedly pledged, in verified video footage, to advance on the city. In one clip posted to the paramilitary’s official Telegram channel, a commander could be seen waving a battle rifle while addressing troops and promising imminent combat in el‑Obeid. Another verified clip from late May shows paramilitary fighters gathered alongside dozens of armoured vehicles just outside the RSF heartland of Nyala. One combatant, leaning on the doorway of an armoured vehicle, boasted that the unit’s next target was el‑Obeid. Recent footage located by BBC Verify placed RSF fighters within 40km (24 miles) of the city. These threats have heightened tensions inside el‑Obeid. Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said that many displaced people who have sought shelter in el‑Obeid have faced suspicion and hostility from locals who fear RSF sympathisers are infiltrating the city. Meanwhile, the Sudanese army appears to be constructing an anti‑tank berm—or earthen wall—around the city. Unlike the berm built around el‑Fasher by the RSF last year, which trapped civilians inside, this structure seems designed to keep attackers out. On Monday the army announced that a major engineering effort had secured a vital road between el‑Obeid and the capital, Khartoum. In response, RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, said he was “unleashing” his fighters and ordered front‑line commanders to “move consecutive forward. No much retreat. No much hesitation.” Nohad Eltayeb, a senior research assistant at ACLED, told BBC Verify that el‑Obeid is a critical hub for both sides of the conflict. “It is the captious juncture connecting RSF-controlled occidental territories with the military-held cardinal and White Nile regions,” Eltayeb said. She added that the RSF “need to regain momentum pursuing territorial losses successful the eastbound Blue Nile region, alongside interior