UN warns of atrocity risk as fighting threatens Sudan city

The United Nations Security Council has voiced alarm over the deteriorating situation in Sudan‍‍`s city of El-Obeid, warning of a serious threat to civilians as fighting intensifies around the strategic urban centre.

In a statement issued on Saturday, council members expressed concern about the possibility of large-scale violence and urged the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to halt their offensive against the city immediately.

El-Obeid, a key city in Sudan‍‍`s Kordofan region, has been surrounded for months amid the ongoing conflict between the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces, a war that has devastated the country since April 2023.

The Security Council also called on all parties involved in the conflict to stop hostilities and take steps toward reducing tensions.

International concern has grown amid fears that violence in El-Obeid could mirror the deadly events witnessed in El-Fasher last year. UN officials have previously described the attacks there as bearing signs of possible genocide.

The UN said its special envoy for Sudan, Pekka Haavisto, recently held talks with RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, urging restraint and stressing the need to protect civilians from further harm.

According to the UN, humanitarian agencies are preparing for a potential influx of displaced people as concerns mount that intensified fighting could force large numbers of residents to flee the city.

Officials said relief organisations are making contingency plans to respond to a possible humanitarian emergency while continuing efforts to support vulnerable communities already affected by the conflict.

The UN is also engaging with regional and international stakeholders in an attempt to encourage dialogue between the warring sides and prevent further escalation.

Sudan‍‍`s conflict has triggered one of the world‍‍`s worst humanitarian crises, claiming thousands of lives and displacing more than 11 million people. The United Nations has repeatedly warned that the country is facing an unprecedented combination of displacement, hunger and insecurity.