US and UN Warn of Potential Mass Atrocities in Sudan's El-Obeid
Quick Look
- The US State Department expressed deep concern over RSF troop build-ups around El-Obeid, Sudan, warning of imminent mass atrocities.
- This follows similar UN Security Council fears, urging the RSF to withdraw and avoid actions endangering civilians or impeding aid.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The RSF has been fighting Sudan's regular army since April 2023, leading to a devastating civil war. El-Obeid has been under siege by the RSF for several months.
The United States has joined the United Nations in warning that mass atrocities could soon be committed in Sudan's southern city of El-Obeid, where the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied groups are reportedly massing troops around the besieged city amid the country's ongoing civil war.
In a statement on Monday, the US state department said Washington was "deeply concerned" by reports of the RSF build-up around El-Obeid in Sudan's Kordofan region.
The warning comes days after the UN Security Council voiced similar fears and urged the paramilitary group to withdraw from around the city.
"The United States is deeply concerned by reports that the RSF and their allied forces are massing forces around El Obeid," the State Department said. "There are alarming indications that mass atrocities could be imminent."
The US also called on the RSF to avoid actions that could worsen the humanitarian situation or place civilians at greater risk.
"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 statement added.
The UN Security Council on Saturday expressed concern over the situation in El-Obeid and called on the forces surrounding the city to de-escalate, reflecting growing international alarm over the possibility of another large-scale assault.
The United Nations has warned that an attack on El-Obeid could mirror the violence seen during the RSF's October 2025 offensive on El-Fasher, an assault that UN officials said bore the "hallmarks of genocide".
El-Obeid, a predominantly Muslim city in southern Sudan, has been under siege for several months by the RSF, which has been fighting Sudan's regular army since April 2023 in a conflict that has devastated the country.
The war has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced more than 11 million, triggering what the United Nations describes as the world's largest displacement and hunger crises.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
RSF may launch an assault on El-Obeid, mirroring the violence seen in El-Fasher.
Possible · Within weeks
Open Questions
- Will the RSF withdraw from around El-Obeid?
- What specific actions will the international community take if atrocities occur?
- How will the humanitarian situation be addressed?
