The United States has voiced deep concern over reports that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and its allies are encircling the city of el-Obeid in Sudan, warning that an assault by the paramilitary group could result in “mass atrocities.”
In a statement Monday, the U.S. State Department said the RSF is “massing forces” around el-Obeid, stressing that an escalation would have disastrous consequences for civilians and urging all parties to pursue a negotiated end to the conflict.
“There are alarming indications that mass atrocities may be imminent, compounding Sudan’s already catastrophic humanitarian crisis,” the statement said. “The RSF and its allied forces must stop all actions that endanger civilians, obstruct humanitarian aid, or contribute to further atrocities and suffering.”
The United States, along with international observers and organizations such as the United Nations, has expressed growing alarm over the situation in Sudan, where the RSF and the national army have been locked in combat since April 2023. The war has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions, creating one of the world’s worst humanitarian emergencies.
The United Nations warned that an attack on el-Obeid could mirror the assault on el-Fasher in October 2025, which U.N. officials described as bearing “the hallmarks of genocide.” The U.N. Human Rights Council said over the weekend that 500,000 civilians in el-Obeid risk falling victim to atrocities if the RSF strikes the city, adding that 50 civilians had already been killed in drone strikes over the previous 10 days in el-Obeid and North Kordofan.
“This war has placed an unbearable burden on the people of Sudan. Civilians have borne the brunt of the violence and extreme suffering caused by the devastation of this conflict,” the U.S. State Department said Monday. “The United States calls on the warring parties to facilitate safe, rapid, and unimpeded humanitarian access, uphold their responsibility to protect civilians, and take immediate steps to prevent further atrocities.”
