The Sudanese city of El Obeid is enduring a "terrible" situation as relentless drone strikes, including attacks on schools and fuel stations, have killed more than 20 people in recent days, according to aid volunteers. The city, home to half a million people, has become a critical battleground in the ongoing conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

El Obeid's strategic location, situated between RSF-controlled areas in Darfur and army-controlled regions to the east, makes it a key point of contention. The RSF has been accused of increasingly violent tactics, prompting warnings from the UN and other agencies about the risk of atrocities. The army is focused on preventing the RSF from establishing another blockade, similar to one experienced in February of last year.

Aid workers report that drone attacks have become a daily occurrence, with numbers often reaching 40 or 45 in a single day. The most recent weekend saw particularly violent strikes, hitting civilian infrastructure and resulting in significant casualties. The UN human rights office documented at least 45 deaths and 41 injuries from 15 drone strikes in and around El Obeid between June 6 and June 28.

These escalating attacks in El Obeid raise concerns about a potential repeat of the atrocities witnessed in El Fasher last year. Following the RSF's capture of El Fasher after an 18-month siege, fighters were reported to have engaged in widespread violence. Amnesty International recently released a report detailing allegations of ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity by the RSF during their campaign to take El Fasher.

An independent fact-finding mission for the UN had previously indicated that the RSF's actions in El Fasher bore the "hallmarks of genocide" against non-Arab communities. These reports underscore the gravity of the human rights situation in Sudan and the potential for further escalation and widespread suffering.

The sustained aerial bombardment of El Obeid not only causes immediate loss of life and injury but also devastates essential infrastructure, impacting the delivery of aid and the daily lives of civilians. The targeting of schools and fuel stations highlights the indiscriminate nature of the attacks and the severe toll on the civilian population.

Displaced populations are also a significant concern in El Obeid, which hosts approximately 100,000 refugees. Tents displaying the logos of international aid organizations, such as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, are visible in displaced persons camps, indicating the scale of displacement and the reliance on humanitarian assistance.

As the conflict intensifies, international bodies and human rights organizations continue to monitor the situation closely, calling for an end to the violence and accountability for alleged war crimes. The ongoing drone strikes in El Obeid represent a critical flashpoint in Sudan's protracted civil war, with dire consequences for the civilian population.