Humanitarian conditions in El Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan, have worsened as the city receives a steady stream of internally displaced people fleeing fighting between Sudan’s Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces. The United Nations estimates that more than 15,000 families have arrived since mid‑July, adding to the 200,000 people who sought refuge there in the first half of the year. Before the conflict began in April 2023, the city housed roughly half a million residents; today it is described as “shockingly overcrowded.”
Most newcomers arrive on foot with little more than the clothes on their backs, and they face acute food shortages and trauma. Tens of thousands are living in two main tented camps on the city’s outskirts, where satellite analysis showed 800 new tents erected between 4 and 25 August. Sanitation is dire, with more than 100 people sharing a single latrine, forcing many to practice open defecation. Damage to a major water source and city pipelines means both residents and camp occupants rely on insufficient water trucking.
Security remains fragile. After a surge of RSF drone strikes in June, the UN warned El Obeid could experience a repeat of the devastation seen in El Fasher. Although the frequency of strikes has declined, “double‑tap” attacks—where a second drone targets rescuers—continue to haunt volunteers. Drones now account for half of all violent incidents in the war, up from 4% at its outset.
The conflict has displaced about 11.3 million Sudanese, roughly one‑fifth of the population, and threatens famine in the region. Disruption of delivery trucks has driven food prices sharply higher; a litre of groundnut oil rose to 17,000 Sudanese pounds in July, up from 13,000 the previous month and 7,700 a year earlier. Wheat flour and meat prices have more than doubled.
Local volunteers, such as the humanitarian worker known as Maryam, say they remain committed despite the hardships. They continue to provide assistance while hoping conditions will improve and the flow of drone attacks will cease.
