Thousands of displaced people sheltering in el-Obeid, a Sudanese army-held city in North Kordofan, are facing renewed danger as the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) advances and reportedly prepares an assault. The city has become a critical refuge for civilians fleeing violence elsewhere, but its growing displacement camps are themselves under threat, with the UN and G7 foreign ministers warning of a potential attack that could echo the massacre in el-Fasher last October, when thousands were killed after RSF fighters overran army defenders there.

The UN's migration agency says more than 83,000 civilians have fled to el-Obeid, with satellite imagery showing the main camp expanding sharply since March despite ongoing strikes. The RSF launched a record number of drone attacks on the city in June, and nearly 400,000 people nearby are facing food shortages amid what officials describe as a "functional siege", with supply routes cut and aid flights halted. Strikes have also hit fuel stations, power infrastructure and warehouses, though aid workers say a recent slowdown in attacks has brought some, still fragile, improvement.