The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have continued to bombard the city of El Obeid with drones, causing dozens of casualties and destroying civilian infrastructure. This marks a significant escalation in the situation on the ground; on Tuesday, the UK and six European nations called for an immediate halt to the violence targeting El Obeid after the city was encircled by the RSF, according to a statement issued by the British Foreign Office. An international statement—endorsed by Norway on behalf of the “Coalition for Atrocity Prevention and Justice for Sudan,” which includes Britain, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Ireland, and Canada, with the support of 21 other states—warned of the risk of large-scale atrocities in El Obeid.

The statement demanded that maximum pressure be exerted on the Sudanese army and the RSF to protect civilians and ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid. Tormod Endresen, Norway’s ambassador to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, warned of an imminent threat facing approximately 500,000 civilians in El Obeid—including over 100,000 displaced persons—exposing them to the risk of widespread violations and atrocities. Meanwhile, Washington warned of imminent mass atrocities in the city of El Obeid. On June 22, 2026, State Department Spokesperson Thomas “Tommy” Pigott issued a statement titled “Threats of Atrocities Around El Obeid by the Rapid Support Forces and Their Allied Forces,” which read, “The United States is deeply concerned by reports that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and their allied forces are massing forces around El Obeid, Sudan, in a manner that significantly increases the risk of violence against civilians, including attacks on civilian objects and further escalation of the conflict in El Obeid and across the Kordofan region…The RSF and their allied forces must cease any actions that could endanger civilians, impede humanitarian assistance, or contribute to further atrocities and suffering…The United States calls on the belligerents to facilitate safe, rapid, and unhindered humanitarian access, uphold their responsibilities to protect civilians, and take immediate steps to prevent further atrocities. There is no military solution to this conflict. The belligerents must pursue a negotiated settlement, without preconditions, that ends the violence and addresses the immense suffering of the Sudanese people. The United States will continue working with our international partners and Sudanese stakeholders to advance a humanitarian truce, secure unhindered humanitarian access, and support a pathway to a civilian transition and durable peace.” El Obeid—the capital of North Kordofan State and known as the “Bride of the Sands”—holds significant military and logistical importance for the army and its allied forces. It hosts the headquarters of the 5th Infantry Division and serves as a forward hub for coordinating and managing combat operations extending into North, West, and South Kordofan, as well as Darfur.

El Obeid is one of Sudan’s oldest and most significant cities in terms of commerce and geography. Situated in the heart of western Sudan, its strategic location has made it a vital center for transport and trade, where railway lines, national highways, and ancient caravan routes converge. The city is a pivotal link in the national transport network, lying on the main route connecting the Darfur region to Khartoum, and it also houses an airport that facilitates commercial and civilian traffic—factors that have made it a target for the RSF.

On Friday, June 19, 2026, both the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF continued to mass troops around El Obeid amidst intense fighting that has raged for a second consecutive week; the city is currently besieged by the RSF on three sides and is facing heavy aerial and artillery attacks. Observers believe that these combined factors explain the mounting military pressure on the city in recent months.

While the army downplays the likelihood of the city falling—maintaining that it retains control—platforms affiliated with the RSF have reported the withdrawal and flight of hundreds of soldiers and officers to neighboring cities. Many military assessments suggest that the outcome of the battles in Kordofan could determine the trajectory of the war across Sudan as a whole. Military experts state that the city of El Obeid is the key to Kordofan—much as El Fasher was the key to Darfur—and that controlling it offers a significant advantage in managing movement routes between western and central Sudan.

States as well as the UN and local organizations have warned of a catastrophic humanitarian situation in the city due to shortages of food and medicine, and the loss of basic services—including electricity and water supplies—across large parts of the city. This has driven hundreds of thousands of residents to flee to neighboring areas, where the humanitarian and security conditions are no less perilous than the deteriorating situation inside the city itself.

Despite mounting concerns, former Sudanese Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Hashim Abdel-Muttalib ruled out the possibility of El Obeid falling to the Rapid Support Forces. He argued that recent attacks are primarily intended to pressure the Sudanese army and disrupt its military operations toward the Darfur region, rather than serving as a prelude to an imminent takeover of the city.

The approach of Europe—and Britain in particular—has become evident in this war, which was instigated by the United States to displace European influence. Europe excels at highlighting violations committed by both sides. It convenes conferences, issues statements of condemnation, and displays sympathy for the Sudanese people. Yet, its sole objective is to regain its influence. It remains indifferent to the fate of the Sudanese people, even if the entire population were to perish. As for America, it incites the leaders of the army and the RSF to continue committing atrocities against the people of Sudan, urging them to prolong the war without seeking a military resolution. The phrase “there is no military solution to this war” has become a constant refrain among American politicians since the Biden administration took office. It serves as a green light for both sides to persist in their atrocities. America seeks to ensure that Sudan’s political landscape is cleared of European-aligned figures—whether politicians or military officials—and aims to weaken the country to the greatest extent possible. It seeks to mobilize all factions, including centrist elements, to sever Sudan’s vital arteries—an objective that can only be achieved by prolonging the war.

Sudan has suffered greatly from the conflict between international powers—America and Britain—indifferent to the consequences of this futile war that has inflicted untold suffering upon the people of Sudan. This comes as no surprise. What is surprising, however, is the silence of the country's own people regarding the conspiracies being hatched against it with the complicity of its agent rulers.

Action must be taken to eradicate the colonialist hegemony and sever the grip of colonialism on Sudan—and indeed on all Muslim lands. This can only be achieved by pledging allegiance to a man—based on the Book of Allah (swt) and the Sunnah of His Messenger (saw)—as a Khaleefah (Caliph) for the Muslims, one who governs the people according to Islam and severs these sinful, malevolent hands.

* Member of the Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir in Wilayah Sudan