Why genocide keeps repeating in Sudan
Sudan's city of el-Obeid faces imminent humanitarian crisis as the Rapid Support Forces militia intensifies attacks on civilian infrastructure. The UN has issued a red alert for the commercial hub, which hosts 500,000 residents and serves as a logistics center in a 40-month conflict that has displaced over 14 million people.
El-Obeid, a major commercial and logistics center in central Sudan, has been designated a critical humanitarian concern by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. The city of 500,000 residents sits on the front line of Sudan's ongoing conflict between the national army and the Rapid Support Forces militia, a paramilitary group that has conducted extensive attacks on civilian infrastructure.
Recent military operations have severely degraded the city's basic services. In June alone, the RSF conducted 27 drone strikes—the highest monthly total since the conflict began—targeting fuel storage facilities, water pumping stations, and electrical infrastructure. These attacks have made daily life increasingly difficult for residents while the RSF has blocked many escape routes from the city. As seasonal rains approach, road conditions are expected to deteriorate further, potentially trapping residents and preventing humanitarian access.
The situation in el-Obeid mirrors previous humanitarian catastrophes in Sudan that have gone largely unaddressed by the international community. In the North Darfur city of el-Fasher, more than 6,000 civilians were killed in a matter of days when the RSF laid siege to the city, with additional victims subjected to torture, sexual violence, enslavement, and forced disappearance. A UN investigation concluded these acts constituted genocide, yet no substantial international intervention followed.
Similarly, in the West Darfur city of el-Geneina, the RSF's blockade of humanitarian aid and prevention of civilian evacuation led the UN to classify the violence as genocide. The United States formally recognized these atrocities as genocide in January 2025, but this declaration has not triggered meaningful international action. The pattern reflects historical precedent: in 1994, the United States acknowledged genocide was occurring in Rwanda but took no serious action, with then-Secretary of State Warren Christopher famously questioning how many acts of genocide constitute genocide itself.
Sudan's conflict has now displaced more than 14 million people and left over half the country's 50 million population dependent on international humanitarian assistance. The army recently regained control of the Sadarat highway connecting el-Obeid to the capital Khartoum, temporarily reducing RSF pressure on the city.
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