Geneva, June 19 (Darfur24)
The Sudan Atrocities Prevention and Justice Coalition on Thursday called on the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to immediately halt any planned attack on El Obeid, warning that an escalation in and around the North Kordofan capital could expose hundreds of thousands of civilians to grave risks.
The coalition, which includes Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Norway, expressed deep concern over what it described as the imminent threat of widespread atrocities in the city.
Addressing the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Norway’s Ambassador Tormod Andresen warned that fighting could intensify at any moment.
“We are deeply concerned about the risk of an imminent escalation on the ground, which puts some 500,000 civilians at risk of becoming victims of widespread atrocities, including more than 100,000 displaced people,” Andresen said.
The coalition urged all countries with influence over the parties to the conflict to exert maximum pressure on both the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces to prevent further violence, protect civilians, and ensure unhindered humanitarian access.
The warning comes amid growing concerns over the humanitarian situation in El Obeid, one of Sudan’s largest cities and the capital of North Kordofan State, which has witnessed some of the most intense fighting in recent months.
In a joint statement, coalition members said they were alarmed by what they described as the urgent risk of atrocities and deliberate killings in Sudan. The statement referred to ten consecutive days of drone attacks in El Obeid and other parts of North Kordofan that reportedly killed at least 50 civilians and damaged critical civilian infrastructure.
The coalition emphasized that civilians must be protected from attacks and that all parties must adhere to international humanitarian law.
After more than three years of conflict, the Sudanese Armed Forces control much of central and eastern Sudan, while the RSF maintains control over most of Darfur and parts of the Kordofan region.
The warning follows the RSF’s capture of El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur State, in October last year after an approximately 18-month siege. The city, which had a population of around one million people and was already facing famine conditions, became the scene of intense fighting and a worsening humanitarian crisis.
Human rights advocates have repeatedly warned that a similar scenario in El Obeid could have devastating consequences for civilians trapped in the city.