RSF Attack Near El Obeid Kills Civilians And Drives New Displacement

El Obeid, August 14, 2026 - At least 18 civilians were killed and 17 wounded when the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces attacked Um Arada, a town about 25 kilometres southwest of El Obeid in North Kordofan state. The assault forced more than 300 families to flee on foot toward El Obeid, adding to severe displacement pressure in a city already hosting about 1.3 million displaced people, including roughly 105,000 in eight designated sites.

State humanitarian authorities said they were coordinating logistics to move newly displaced families to established camps. Local health officials said the attack on Um Arada and two nearby villages created acute humanitarian distress, with residents fleeing long distances without transport.

Authorities said 23 unaccompanied children, including infants, had been reunited after arriving in El Obeid in the care of unrelated civilians. Residents said RSF fighters entered the town in the early morning and held it for several hours before Sudanese Armed Forces units regained control.

The military said it had repelled two attacks southwest of El Obeid, including at Um Arada and Jabal Hashaba. The attack highlights continuing instability around North Kordofan's capital and the expanding burden on local aid systems, complicating any near-term recovery of commerce, transport and basic services in central Sudan.