UN and Allies Warn of Imminent RSF Atrocities in El Obeid

The United Nations and a coalition of 29 countries warned throughout June 2026 of an imminent ground offensive by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) against El Obeid, the capital of Sudan's North Kordofan state. International officials, including Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, cautioned that the situation mirrors the 2025 assault on El Fasher, which bore hallmarks of genocide. The RSF has besieged the city for months, deploying reinforcements and executing ten consecutive days of drone strikes that killed at least 50 civilians and disabled critical power and fuel infrastructure.

The UN Security Council, the European Union, and the United States Department of State demanded that the RSF halt its assault to protect approximately 500,000 civilians, including 100,000 internally displaced persons. Simultaneously, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) have responded with their own drone strikes and the construction of trench systems to defend the strategic commercial hub.

Diplomatic efforts have intensified, with UN envoy Pekka Haavisto engaging RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, who claimed civilians would not be targeted. Meanwhile, the U.S. Congress introduced the PEACE in Sudan Act to pressure external drivers of the conflict, specifically targeting the United Arab Emirates for its alleged supply of weapons and mercenaries to the RSF. As of late June, UN Under-Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo warned the Security Council that the window to avert a wider escalation is rapidly narrowing.