Residents of El Obeid are enduring a siege by Rapid Support Forces (RSF) that has cut off power, food, and water [1].
The blockade of the North Kordofan capital represents a strategic move by RSF paramilitaries to consolidate control over western and central Sudan [1, 2]. By severing logistics and escape routes, the forces aim to compel the city's surrender.
The crisis has intensified since late May 2026 [1, 3]. Hundreds of thousands of people are currently sheltering in the city [1], many of whom are civilians fleeing other areas of the conflict. Those trapped inside report a lack of safe routes to exit the region as the siege persists [2].
Life within the city is marked by frequent power cuts and severe shortages of basic necessities [2]. Residents have described the conditions as a descent toward an abyss, with some reporting constant bombardment [1]. One resident said, "Estamos cansados de la muerte," or "We are tired of death" [1].
The international community has responded to the deteriorating situation. The European Parliament said it condemns the war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the siege of El Obeid [4].
This escalation is part of a broader conflict that began in April 2023 [2]. The RSF's tactics in El Obeid mirror a pattern of isolating urban centers to weaken opposition and secure territorial dominance across the region [1, 2].
“"Estamos cansados de la muerte"”
The siege of El Obeid is a critical inflection point in the Sudanese civil war. By isolating a major administrative capital in North Kordofan, the RSF is attempting to dismantle the logistics network of the opposing forces. The resulting humanitarian catastrophe—characterized by forced starvation and lack of medical access—indicates a shift toward total warfare where civilian populations are used as strategic leverage to force political or military concessions.
