El Obeid, Sudan on brink of humanitarian disaster as RSF siege worsens

The strategic city of El Obeid in north‑Kordofan, Sudan, has been encircled for months by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). International bodies warned that the siege could trigger a humanitarian catastrophe akin to the one that unfolded in El Fasher. A United Nations official said the city is “weeks” away from disaster if aid access is not restored, citing rising food and water prices and the risk of famine.

European foreign ministers and the United States have issued statements urging the RSF to pull back and to allow safe, unhindered humanitarian assistance. The U.S. State Department warned that “mass atrocities could be imminent,” echoing concerns from the UN Human Rights Office and the UN Security Council, which highlighted the “imminent risk of mass atrocities.”

Humanitarian agencies report severe shortages of fuel, food and medical supplies, with drone strikes targeting civilian infrastructure. The ongoing siege threatens hundreds of thousands of civilians and risks a broader escalation that could destabilize Sudan’s western region.