El Obeid, June 25 (Darfur24)
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has warned that ongoing fighting in El Obeid continues to threaten civilians and damage critical infrastructure as humanitarian needs in the city rise sharply.
OCHA said humanitarian partners reported that a drone strike targeted an empty fuel tanker parked near a school in El Obeid on Tuesday, injuring several students, according to preliminary reports. The incident occurred close to the offices of several humanitarian organizations operating in the city.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced support for response efforts following the recent escalation in El Obeid. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the organization had pre-positioned medical supplies in the city, including materials for trauma and injury treatment, disease prevention and response, maternal and child health services, reproductive health care, and nutrition support.
He said the supplies are sufficient to provide healthcare services for more than 25,000 people amid the worsening humanitarian and security situation.
OCHA also noted that humanitarian needs in Sheikan locality, the largest locality in North Kordofan State, remain immense, with nearly 800,000 people requiring some form of humanitarian assistance.
The United Nations renewed its call on all parties to the conflict to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure and refrain from targeting vital facilities. It also stressed the importance of ensuring rapid, safe, sustainable, and unhindered humanitarian access through secure humanitarian corridors.
In recent weeks, El Obeid has witnessed an increase in drone attacks that have disrupted essential services, including electricity, water, fuel supplies, and healthcare, raising fears of a deepening humanitarian crisis and further displacement of residents.