The brutal conflict between Sudan’s military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has intensified in the central Kordofan region, with deadly consequences for civilians already trapped in a deepening humanitarian catastrophe.
Late Thursday, RSF forces launched a barrage of artillery into residential areas of El-Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan province, killing at least four people and injuring others, according to healthcare workers. The Sudan Doctors’ Network condemned the attack, stating that it disproportionately targeted women and the elderly.
“The RSF is targeting civilians with guided artillery rockets, deliberately inflicting fatalities in the neighborhoods of El-Obeid, which … are densely populated with displaced people and those who fled from areas under RSF control,” the group reported.
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The bombardment comes amid renewed clashes that have forced around 700 families to flee their homes in North Kordofan between July 4 and July 9, the International Organization for Migration stated.
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El-Obeid had once been a stronghold for the RSF until the Sudanese army lifted a yearlong siege in February, regaining control and reopening critical supply routes. The city houses a major airbase and the military’s 5th Infantry Division, known locally as Haganah.
Sudan’s descent into full-scale civil war began in April 2023, following a breakdown in relations between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF. Since then, fighting has spread from the capital, Khartoum, to nearly every region, leaving over 40,000 people dead and more than 10 million displaced, according to the United Nations.
As the war rages on, the humanitarian crisis in both Kordofan and Darfur is worsening. Access to food, healthcare, and safe passage has become increasingly difficult. Mercy Corps revealed the entire Kordofan region has emerged as a key battleground, with residents enduring siege-like conditions.
“In Kadugli, the capital of South Kordofan, our team describes a city under siege. Roads have been cut off, supply lines have collapsed, and residents are walking miles just to search for salt or matches,” said Kadry Furany, Sudan country director for Mercy Corps in an AP report.
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In Darfur, where displacement camps are already suffering from famine, the violence continues unabated. UNICEF revealed a grim spike in child malnutrition, reporting a 46% rise in cases across Darfur between January and May 2025 compared to the same period in 2024.
The International Criminal Court is now closely monitoring the situation. Deputy prosecutor Nazhat Shameem Khan told the U.N. Security Council on Thursday that there is strong evidence of ongoing war crimes and crimes against humanity in Sudan’s western Darfur region.
