GENEVA, June 18, (V7N) — The United Nations has sounded the alarm over an “imminent offensive” by RSF paramilitary forces on the strategic Sudanese city of El-Obeid, warning of catastrophic consequences for civilians.
UN rights chief Volker Turk urged, “Stop this madness,” after reports of a significant troop build-up, intensified drone strikes, and artillery shelling around the city. He cautioned that such an assault risked serious international crimes and would deepen the humanitarian crisis.
El-Obeid, capital of North Kordofan state, has been partially encircled for months under siege-like conditions. Turk warned against a repeat of atrocities documented last year in El-Fasher and Zamzam IDP camp in North Darfur.
“Civilians are at grave risk in Kordofan, particularly in El-Obeid, in the absence of action to halt the imminent offensive and further military escalation,” he said, stressing that states with influence must act immediately.
The conflict in Sudan, now in its fourth year, has killed tens of thousands and displaced more than 11 million people, creating what the UN describes as the world’s largest displacement and hunger crises.
El-Obeid sits on a vital route linking RSF-held areas in Darfur to army-controlled regions in the east, making it a strategic target.
Fighting has intensified in Kordofan and Blue Nile state, especially after the RSF captured El-Fasher in October, the army’s last major stronghold in western Darfur.
Kordofan, rich in oil deposits and arable land, remains a fiercely contested battleground where the RSF’s most powerful allies are concentrated.
The UN’s warning underscores the urgency of halting escalation to prevent another humanitarian disaster in Sudan.
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