Fighting in Sudan's el-Obeid displaces over 5,500 children, charity says
Save the Children warns that more than 5,500 children have been newly displaced by fighting over the strategic city of el-Obeid, with thousands more at risk.
The international charity Save the Children has warned that fighting over the strategic Sudanese city of el-Obeid has displaced more than 5,500 children, with thousands more at risk. The city, home to over half a million people, has become the latest focal point of the civil war between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group.
Families arriving in displacement sites and local communities face increasingly difficult living conditions. Many lack adequate shelter, clean water, healthcare, and education services, while overcrowding strains already limited resources.
The city, which hosts the government's 5th Infantry Division, has been under siege by the RSF for months. Intensifying drone attacks have killed civilians and destroyed civilian infrastructure, leading to severe fuel and water shortages. A resident named Emad told Save the Children that June was extremely challenging, with drones striking around 11 fuel stations, fuel tankers, and even water tankers.
Siege-like conditions and overcrowding from internal displacement have exacerbated a seasonal cholera outbreak, with 300 confirmed cases reported by Sudan's State Ministry of Health. Save the Children is particularly concerned about the psychological toll on children, many of whom have witnessed violence, lost loved ones, or been forced to flee multiple times over the past three years.
Across Sudan, children under 18 make up about 55 percent of the displaced population. “For children, displacement is far more than the loss of a home,” said Francesco Lanino, deputy country director for Save the Children in Sudan. “It often means losing access to school, healthcare, clean water and the support networks that help them feel safe and protected.”
In October, when RSF seized control of the Darfur capital el-Fasher after an 18-month siege, rights groups documented mass killings and sexual violence against civilians, including children. The UN and rights groups have warned that el-Obeid could face the same fate. On Monday, the UN Human Rights Council passed a motion condemning the RSF's escalating attacks on el-Obeid.
Sudan's civil war erupted in April 2023 when a power struggle between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF turned into armed conflict. Now in its fourth year, the war has killed thousands and forced 4.4 million people to flee to neighbouring countries. The conflict has been marked by widespread human rights violations, including alleged ethnic cleansing and genocide. Efforts to end the conflict or secure a ceasefire have largely failed, with regional and international actors accused of fuelling the violence.
