El-Obeid siege drives mass child displacement and casualties in Sudan

More than 11,000 people, including over 5,500 children, have fled the strategic city of el‑Obeid in the past two weeks, according to Save the Children. The United Nations warned that up to 500,000 civilians could be at risk if the fighting intensifies. Drone attacks have crippled fuel and water supplies and sparked a seasonal cholera outbreak with around 300 confirmed cases.

UNICEF reported that more than 300 children have been killed or injured in the first six months of 2026, 60 % of the child casualties stemming from drone strikes. The UN Human Rights Council adopted a resolution condemning the Rapid Support Forces’ attacks around el‑Obeid and ordered an urgent inquiry into alleged abuses. The city, home to about half a million residents, remains under siege, with humanitarian aid severely restricted and the risk of further mass displacement looming.