Fighting is underway in central Sudan as the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) intensifies its campaign to capture the strategically vital city of al-Obeid. The use of drone and artillery strikes on civilian areas has become a weekly terror for residents, marking a dangerous new phase in a war that has already killed tens of thousands and displaced millions. Satellite imagery and on the ground reports confirm a growing pattern of bombardment and the construction of defensive berms around the city, a clear sign that a major battle is imminent.
This offensive follows the RSF's consolidation of control over the Darfur region, where it has been accused by United Nations investigators and the International Criminal Court of committing atrocities repeated "in town after town," including mass killings, rape, and the desecration of corpses. Having secured its western stronghold, the RSF has now shifted focus eastward, with al-Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan state, standing directly in its path to the army-controlled east. The capture of key towns like Bara and Babanusa in recent months has tightened the noose around the city.
The assault on al-Obeid is not an isolated incident but part of a documented RSF strategy of attacking civilian infrastructure and populated areas. Residents describe a horrific incident in early November in the nearby village of al-Luweib, where a drone reportedly fired on a funeral gathering, killing 65 people, all women and children. This mirrors tactics witnessed in Darfur, where the RSF has been accused of attacking clinics, markets, and camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs).
In April 2025, a ruthless RSF attack on Zamzam, the largest IDP camp in Darfur, caused around 400,000 people to flee in two days. Amnesty International documented the deliberate killing of civilians, the destruction of shelters, mosques, and schools, calling for the assault to be investigated as war crimes. UN reports from the fall of El Fasher in Darfur detail "widespread and systematic mass killings" and a subsequent campaign by the RSF to conceal evidence by burying and burning victims' bodies on a massive scale.
The human cost of this war is almost incomprehensible. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has stated that Sudanese civilians are enduring "horror and hell". The conflict has created the world's largest displacement crisis, with over 12 million people forced from their homes, and sparked a famine that threatens millions more. The World Health Organization has verified hundreds of attacks on healthcare facilities, with Sudan accounting for over 80% of all healthcare worker deaths in global emergencies in 2025.
Cities under siege, like Kadugli and Dilling in South Kordofan, face catastrophic conditions where civilians are trapped with almost no access to food, water, or medical care. The violence shows no respect for neutrality; in December, a drone strike hit a United Nations logistics base in Kadugli, killing six peacekeepers. Despite occasional announcements of humanitarian truces, they are routinely violated, with attacks occurring even hours after ceasefire agreements are announced.
The international community has expressed growing alarm. The UN Security Council has held briefings where members condemned the violence and called for accountability. The International Criminal Court's Deputy Prosecutor recently briefed the Council, detailing the large-scale crimes against humanity in Darfur and noting the first conviction of a senior Janjaweed commander.
However, diplomatic efforts are complicated by allegations of foreign involvement. The Sudanese government has consistently accused the United Arab Emirates of supplying the RSF with weapons and fighters, a charge supported by UN experts, though denied by the UAE. The flow of advanced weaponry, including drones, has been criticized by UN officials who note that resources are being diverted into arms procurement even as the population starves. With the war nearing its third year and no lasting peace in sight, the people of Sudan remain caught in a devastating fight for survival, with the battle for al-Obeid poised to deepen the catastrophe.