RSF assault puts Sudan’s el-Obeid at center of widening war
The paramilitary RSF is pressing attacks on army-held el-Obeid, a city analysts say could reshape control of western Sudan.
By Lucas Ferreira · Science & Environment Writer
2 min read
Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces have intensified attacks on el-Obeid, an army-held city whose capture could shift the war’s balance in the west, Al Jazeera reported. The fighting matters because analysts cited by the broadcaster say RSF control of the city would strengthen the group’s position across western Sudan.
Al Jazeera said the southern city has faced weeks of heavy assaults by the RSF. The broadcaster described the attacks as among the worst on el-Obeid since Sudan’s conflict began in 2023.
The Sudanese military currently controls el-Obeid and is trying to stop the RSF advance, according to Al Jazeera. The RSF, a powerful paramilitary force, is seeking to seize the city as part of its broader fight against the army.
Why el-Obeid is in focus
Al Jazeera described el-Obeid as a strategic city. Analysts cited by the broadcaster said that if the RSF takes it, the group would tighten its hold over western Sudan.
The battle has escalated as both sides contest control, according to Al Jazeera. The report did not give a battlefield toll or say how close the RSF is to taking the city.
The struggle over el-Obeid comes as Sudan’s war continues to draw warnings from rights and humanitarian groups. Al Jazeera reported that aid groups are warning of possible mass atrocities and a humanitarian disaster as civilians remain trapped by the fighting.
Civilians face rising danger
Hundreds of thousands of civilians are being harmed by the battle, Al Jazeera reported. The broadcaster said people caught in the violence have been unable to flee, raising fears about the scale of the crisis if the fighting continues.
Al Jazeera framed the battle for el-Obeid as part of the wider contest between the Sudanese army and the RSF, which has torn through the country since 2023. The immediate focus is whether the military can hold the city against the RSF’s advance.
The issue was examined in a 27-minute Al Jazeera programme presented by Mohammed Jamjoom and published on July 1, 2026. The guests were Ali Mahmoud Ali, a Sudan researcher with the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data project; Kholood Khair, founding director of the Sudan-focused think tank Confluence Advisory; and Nathaniel Raymond, executive director of the Humanitarian Research Lab at Yale School of Public Health.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.