The United Nations has issued an urgent warning that the window to prevent a wider military escalation in Sudan's El Obeid is rapidly closing.
UN Under-Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo briefed the Security Council on the intensifying conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces. Drone attacks in El Obeid have surged significantly, with the RSF expanding its presence around the city.
DiCarlo stated that a full-scale battle would trigger new displacement and put hundreds of thousands of civilians at immediate risk. The conflict's epicenter remains the Kordofan region, with fighting around Dilling, Kadugli, and Babanusa.
The growing use of drones is making the conflict more lethal and unpredictable for civilians. The UN Human Rights Chief warned of an impending human rights disaster.
Tensions are also rising between Sudan and neighboring Ethiopia and Chad, risking further regional destabilization. The UN is backing a humanitarian truce initiative led by the Quad group-the United States, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Egypt.
UNICEF's Deputy Executive Director, Hannan Sulieman, addressed the devastating toll on children, calling Sudan the world's largest humanitarian crisis. She reported over 5,000 children killed or maimed since the war began, with nearly 80 percent of child casualties this year linked to drone strikes.
Sulieman urged the Security Council to take immediate action to protect children and civilian infrastructure in El Obeid and across Sudan.