UNICEF has warned that nearly 500,000 civilians are at immediate risk in the Sudanese city of El-Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan State, as fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) intensifies, forcing thousands of families to flee amid growing fears of large-scale atrociti

In a statement, the UN children's agency said escalating violence has placed children in "immediate and growing danger" of being killed, injured, displaced, or subjected to other grave violations.

"Intensified fighting in Al Obeid, Sudan, is forcing children and families to be displaced and seek refuge," UNICEF said, urging all parties to prevent further escalation and ensure the protection of civilians.

El-Obeid, once home to around 500,000 residents, has become a critical refuge for people displaced by Sudan's civil war, with unofficial estimates placing its current population at nearly 3 million. The city has emerged as a strategic humanitarian and commercial hub linking central Sudan with Darfur, making its stability vital for aid operations across the region.

The warning comes days after the UN Human Rights Council approved an urgent investigation into alleged violations and abuses in and around El-Obeid, citing an imminent risk of mass atrocities as violence continues to escalate. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has described the situation as a "red alert," warning that the city could face another humanitarian catastrophe if fighting continues unchecked.

For weeks, El-Obeid has been subjected to repeated drone attacks, with strikes damaging power stations, fuel depots, water infrastructure, schools, health facilities, markets, and other civilian sites. The attacks have disrupted electricity and essential services while killing and injuring dozens of civilians.

According to UNICEF, at least 330 children were killed or injured across Sudan during the first six months of 2026, with Darfur and Kordofan recording the highest number of child casualties. Since May alone, North Kordofan has witnessed more than 35 child casualties, many resulting from drone strikes, which accounted for around 60% of reported child casualties in the state.

Humanitarian organizations have also reported worsening displacement around El-Obeid. Save the Children said more than 5,500 children have been displaced from the city and surrounding areas in just the past two weeks as insecurity and shortages of food, fuel, and clean water continue to deepen.

The broader conflict shows no signs of easing. Fighting has intensified across Sudan's three Kordofan states—North, South, and West—where clashes between the SAF and RSF have expanded since late last year. The region has become one of the war's principal battlegrounds, with civilians increasingly trapped between frontlines and humanitarian access severely restricted.

International concern has also grown following a recent UN fact-finding mission that concluded the RSF committed acts amounting to genocide during its 2025 campaign in Darfur. UN investigators have warned that similar patterns of violence could emerge in El-Obeid if urgent international action is not taken to protect civilians and secure humanitarian access.

Sudan has been engulfed in civil war since April 2023, when fighting erupted between the Sudanese army and the RSF over disagreements concerning the integration of the paramilitary force into the national military. The conflict has since killed tens of thousands of people, displaced approximately 13 million, and created one of the world's largest humanitarian crises, with more than 30 million people now in need of humanitarian assistance.  (ILKHA)