Drone attacks by advancing Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia and allied troops besieging El Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan in Sudan, have caused civilian casualties and damaged critical infrastructure, including schools, internally displaced persons' sites, and fuel stations, according to UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric.

Officials from Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, and the United Kingdom report that "siege-like conditions" have left thousands trapped in El Obeid, cut off from basic services amid severe fuel and water shortages. There is growing concern that El Obeid may suffer a fate similar to El Fasher in Western Darfur earlier this year, where the RSF has been accused of grave human rights violations, as highlighted in a recent Amnesty International report.

The conflict in Sudan, ongoing since 2023 between the formerly allied Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF, has escalated with the RSF's rapid buildup near El Obeid. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk warned on 18 June that the risk of summary executions, abductions, arbitrary detentions, and other violence against civilians is high and must be prevented.

Following a request from five Member States, the UN Human Rights Council will hold an urgent debate to discuss the international response to Sudan's human rights situation.

In addition to the conflict, Sudan faces a cholera outbreak with 1,102 cases and 120 deaths reported since Monday.

On a broader humanitarian front, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that disasters in 2025 were linked to 2.9 million internal displacements worldwide. Patricia Wiskes, Malawi’s minister of natural resources, emphasized the importance of the RE2CLID Programme, which aims to better understand displacement risks and enhance capacities to prevent, prepare for, and respond to such crises.

Meanwhile, the UN also reported ongoing civilian casualties in Ukraine, underscoring the global challenges of conflict and displacement.

Sources