‘The situation is terrible’: aid workers on life in Sudanese city pummelled by drone strikes

What Happened

The city of El Obeid in North Kordofan is facing a surge in drone strikes, with the UN human rights office reporting 45 deaths and 41 injuries between 6 June and 28 June. Aid workers report that these strikes frequently target civilian infrastructure, including fuel stations, schools, and power facilities, severely restricting access to essential services and inflating commodity prices. The Yale Humanitarian Research Lab identified damage to critical infrastructure consistent with intentional bombardment, while the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED) recorded 27 drone strikes in the area during the previous month.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

El Obeid serves as a critical strategic link between RSF-controlled territories in Darfur and SAF-held regions in eastern Sudan. The city currently hosts approximately 100,000 displaced persons, and international observers fear that the systematic targeting of infrastructure and the threat of a ground offensive could mirror the mass violence and humanitarian collapse observed in El Fasher.

Watch For

Monitor for further escalation in drone activity and any evidence of a ground offensive by the RSF. Additionally, track international diplomatic responses following the urgent debate in Geneva and the referral of officials from the UAE, Iran, Turkey, and Egypt to the International Criminal Court regarding alleged support for warring parties.