Sudan's El Obeid hit by RSF drone strikes, crippling water, power and fuel supplies

In Sudan’s south‑central Kordofan region, the city of El Obeid has become a refuge for roughly 100,000 displaced civilians. Since June 2026, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have intensified drone attacks, with the International NGO Safety Organization recording at least 141 strikes by early July, more than half of them targeting El Obeid.

The drones have repeatedly hit civilian infrastructure – schools, markets, fuel stations, water points and the main power plant – causing widespread black‑outs, fuel shortages and a steep rise in gasoline prices (up to $21 CAD or $15 USD per litre). Residents now rely on seasonal dams and a few boreholes, with families receiving barely over one litre of water per person each day. Health facilities operate without reliable backup power, face rationed fuel for generators, and struggle to secure medicines, raising the risk of disease outbreaks.

Medical humanitarian groups, including Médecins Sans Frontières, warn that the deteriorating conditions threaten basic health services and could spark epidemics unless aid and protection are secured.