Once seen as a refuge from Sudan’s civil war, el-Obeid is now under relentless drone attacks, with civilians trapped, hospitals overwhelmed and humanitarian agencies warning the city could become the country’s next major catastrophe.
What was once considered one of the safer cities in central Sudan is rapidly becoming the latest flashpoint in the country’s brutal civil war, as residents of el-Obeid face relentless drone attacks, growing shortages and mounting fears of a humanitarian disaster.
For Sarah, a 27-year-old university student, the war came crashing down while she was at a crowded fuel station.
“The station lit up before everything went dark,” she recalled. “There were injured people, blood, burnt cars and smashed vehicles.”
Moments later, another missile exploded. Sarah survived but suffered shrapnel wounds to her leg and hand.
Her identity has been concealed for security reasons as fighting intensifies between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Located in North Kordofan State, el-Obeid is home to about 500,000 people and one of Sudan’s largest military bases. Despite being under army control, the city has struggled to defend itself against increasingly frequent drone strikes.
According to conflict monitoring group ACLED, 27 drone attacks struck the city in June alone, the highest monthly figure since Sudan’s war began more than three years ago.
The United Nations says at least 45 people were killed and 41 others injured in 15 drone strikes carried out between 6 and 28 June.
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk warned that el-Obeid has endured siege-like conditions for around 18 months, with reports of executions, kidnappings, torture and sexual violence affecting civilians trying to escape the conflict.
“The signs from el-Obeid are clear and unmistakable: another human rights catastrophe is unfolding in Sudan,” Türk warned.
Military analysts say the city’s location makes it one of the most strategically important positions in the conflict.
Nathaniel Raymond, executive director of Yale University’s Humanitarian Research Lab, said whoever controls el-Obeid gains access to the vital road leading toward Khartoum and Omdurman, making it essential for both the Sudanese army and the RSF.
Despite growing international concern, Raymond said the city does not currently show the same ethnic tensions that fuelled the atrocities in el-Fasher, where thousands were killed after months of siege.
“Right now, we don’t see any indication of a large-scale plan by the RSF to attack,” he said.
ACLED researcher Nohad Eltayeb said the RSF has largely surrounded the city from the north, west and south, but army reinforcements and allied militias continue to protect a critical supply corridor linking el-Obeid with eastern Sudan.
While an RSF assault remains possible, she believes a complete takeover is unlikely under current conditions.
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On the ground, however, civilians say life is becoming almost impossible.
A doctor at one of the city’s hospitals said medical staff are overwhelmed by casualties arriving after nearly every drone strike.
Most victims suffer severe limb injuries, although head wounds are also common.
One case continues to haunt her.
A seven-month-old baby arrived with devastating injuries after a strike.
“Her hand had to be amputated because of the severity of the injury, but sadly she did not survive,” the doctor said. “You leave your house as if you will never return.”
Researchers say many recent attacks have focused on fuel stations and fuel tankers, while water and sewage trucks have also reportedly been struck after being mistaken for fuel vehicles.
Satellite imagery reviewed by Yale University’s Humanitarian Research Lab indicates that at least eight fuel stations sustained damage consistent with bombardment between late May and late June.
The destruction has triggered fuel shortages and soaring prices across the city.
The attacks have also damaged el-Obeid’s main electricity substation, residential neighbourhoods and busy markets, raising fears that the city’s basic infrastructure is being systematically crippled.
Without electricity and fuel, water pumps cannot operate, increasing the risk that thousands of civilians will be forced to rely on contaminated water supplies.
“Without fuel and electricity, the water pumps will stop working, and civilians will begin drinking unsafe water, increasing the risk of deadly waterborne diseases,” Raymond warned.
The crisis is especially severe because el-Obeid has become a refuge for people fleeing violence elsewhere.
Around 100,000 displaced people are now sheltering in the city, with satellite analysis showing about 700 temporary shelters built around displacement camps in just one month.
Among them is a humanitarian worker identified as Ahmed, who has already fled both Kadugli and Khartoum.
Now, he fears he may have to flee yet again.
“People are always in shock and fear,” he said. “Many of us sleep outside because of the heat. When the drones fly overhead every night, nobody can sleep.”
For Sarah, daily life has become a painful routine of uncertainty.
“People now leave their homes saying goodbye to their families because they don’t know if they will return.”
As the fighting edges closer and humanitarian conditions deteriorate, el-Obeid is emerging as one of Sudan’s most dangerous cities and a place where many fear the country’s next major tragedy could soon unfold.
