Kordofan Fighting Displaces 200,000 as Drone Strikes Cripple el-Obeid Infrastructure
Updated
Updated · Al Jazeera English · Aug 20
Kordofan Fighting Displaces 200,000 as Drone Strikes Cripple el-Obeid Infrastructure
3 articles · Updated · Al Jazeera English · Aug 20
Summary
More than 200,000 people have been newly displaced across Sudan’s Kordofan since late 2025, the IOM said, warning that the region’s humanitarian crisis is worsening despite a reopened supply route.
Drone attacks on el-Obeid’s main power transformer and repeated fighting have cut electricity needed for water pumping, hospitals and phone service in the army-held city, which remains under pressure from RSF positions nearby.
Displacement in Sheikan district, which includes el-Obeid, has jumped 25% in eight months, while the city’s population has swollen from about 750,000 before the war to 3.4 million, local authorities estimate.
Flooding is compounding the crisis: heavy rains in North Darfur damaged nearly 1,350 homes and displaced more than 1,000 families, alongside 78,000 newly displaced in Blue Nile and 18,000 in West Darfur this month.
Since Sudan’s war began in April 2023, about 59,000 people have been killed, 8.6 million internally displaced and 4.2 million driven into neighboring countries, with 33.7 million now needing humanitarian assistance.
As floodwaters rise and drone strikes cripple infrastructure, what hidden atrocities are unfolding along Sudan's blocked escape routes?
With el-Obeid under brutal siege, could its fall trigger a devastating domino effect across Sudan's remaining army-held territories?
Will the international community's critical funding shortfall condemn tens of thousands of besieged Sudanese civilians to an inevitable tragedy?
The 2026 Siege of el-Obeid: Drone Escalation, Humanitarian Collapse, and the Struggle for Sudan’s Heartland
Overview
El-Obeid’s strategic location on Sudan’s main transport and oil routes has made it a central battleground, enduring 18 months of siege-like conditions. The RSF’s multi-pronged offensive and encirclement, combined with the SAF’s reinforced defenses, have led to a military stalemate. The flat terrain enabled both sides to escalate drone warfare, shifting the balance of power and causing severe shortages as drones targeted vital infrastructure and aid convoys. With humanitarian access choked off and international aid dwindling, residents organized grassroots survival networks. Meanwhile, civilians were trapped—prevented from fleeing and used as human shields—amid worsening violence and deprivation.