UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has voiced deep concern over escalating fighting in and around El Obeid, the capital of Sudan's North Kordofan state, warning that the city could face the kind of large-scale violence seen in Al Fasher.
"The Secretary-General is deeply concerned by the escalation of fighting in and around El Obeid, North Kordofan state, including drone attacks impacting civilians and civilian infrastructure," UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in a statement on Thursday.
Dujarric said Guterres was "particularly alarmed by reports of the deployment, by the Rapid Support Forces, of substantial military reinforcements around El Obeid which may indicate an imminent ground offensive on the city, potentially placing yet another major population centre in Sudan at grave risk of large-scale violence."
The UN chief called for restraint from all parties and urged them "to take all necessary measures to respect and protect civilians."
"Far too many times in this conflict, clear warnings have failed to trigger concerted action by the international community," Dujarric said, conveying Guterres's message.
"The Secretary-General urges all those with influence over the parties to exert it to prevent further bloodshed. We must not allow the horrors of Al Fasher to be repeated in El Obeid."
Escalation in fighting
Guterres reiterated his call for an immediate cessation of hostilities, urging the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces "to engage with international efforts, including those of his Personal Envoy for Sudan, to facilitate de-escalation and a negotiated settlement to end this devastating conflict."
Despite the deteriorating security situation, humanitarian organisations continue operating in El Obeid and across the Kordofan region, according to the statement. A humanitarian worker was among civilians killed by drone strikes in residential neighbourhoods in El Obeid over the past week.
El Obeid, one of Sudan's largest cities, has seen an escalation in the fighting in recent months of a war that has displaced millions of people.
Sudan has been engulfed in conflict since April 2023, when fighting erupted between the army and the RSF regarding plans to integrate the paramilitary force into the military. The war has triggered one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, killing tens of thousands and displacing nearly 13 million.
