El‑Obeid Under Siege: Drone Strikes Heighten Fear of Massacre


The city of el‑Obeid in Sudan’s North‑Kordofan state has become a flash‑point in the civil war, suffering repeated drone attacks that have injured civilians, damaged infrastructure, and heightened fears of a large‑scale massacre.


A young woman and a boy sit in el‑Obeid after a drone strike
Many civilians were injured in drone strikes in el‑Obeid.

A 27‑year‑old university student survived a strike that lit up a crowded fuel station, only to receive shrapnel injuries to her leg and hand. The city, controlled by Sudan’s army, yet surrounded by RSF forces, has seen 27 drone strikes in June alone – the highest monthly count in the three‑year conflict.


UN Human Rights chief Volker Turk reported that 45 people were killed and 41 injured in 15 drone strikes between 6 and 28 June, describing the siege‑like conditions with summary executions, abductions, torture and sexual violence. “A human rights catastrophe is unfolding in Sudan,” Turk warned.


Hospitals in el‑Obeid are overwhelmed. Doctors report frequent limb injuries, head trauma, and tragic cases such as a seven‑month‑old infant who had to have a hand amputated and later died.


Amnesty International’s Agnès Callamard compared el‑Obeid’s situation to the 18‑month siege of el‑Fasher, warning that similar violence could erupt if the RSF captures the city. The paramilitary group, however, maintains it is acting in compliance with international law and seeks to protect residents.


The city’s strategic importance – lying between RSF‑controlled west and army‑controlled east – means control of el‑Obeid could secure supply routes to Khartoum and Omdurman. Yet satellite imagery shows the RSF has encircled the city from three sides, forcing the army to reinforce allied militia positions to hold the corridor.


With fuel stations repeatedly targeted, the city now faces shortages and soaring prices. Even the electrical substation and water pumps have been struck, threatening clean water access for civilians and internally displaced people who have sought refuge here.


As drone strikes continue, families in el‑Obeid leave their homes in fear, unsure whether they will return. The city’s residents and humanitarian workers are living under constant threat, watching the sky for the next attack.


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