July 5, 2026 — The besieged Sudanese city of El Obeid has become the latest flashpoint in the country’s brutal civil war, with aid workers on the ground reporting an unprecedented wave of drone strikes that have turned civilian areas into killing zones. Over the past weekend alone, more than 20 people were killed as drones pounded schools and fuel stations, according to a local volunteer who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal.
“The situation is terrible. Last weekend was the most violent we have seen,” the aid worker said. “In the past few months, seeing 40 or 45 drones in a single day was normal. You could literally count them. Now the attacks are constant and indiscriminate.” The volunteer, identified only as Fatima to protect her identity, described a city under siege where civilians, including students, are paying the heaviest price.
El Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan state, has emerged as a key battleground between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The city sits astride critical supply routes, making it a strategic prize. As ground fighting stalls, both sides have increasingly turned to drone warfare, turning the conflict into a high-tech siege that punishes noncombatants.
Humanitarian access to El Obeid has been severely curtailed. Aid organizations report that repeated strikes on infrastructure have disrupted food and medical supply lines, leaving thousands trapped without basic necessities. The United Nations has condemned the escalation, calling for an immediate ceasefire, but no diplomatic breakthrough appears imminent.
The violence in El Obeid mirrors a broader pattern across Sudan, where drone strikes have become a signature tactic since the war erupted in April 2023. With no end in sight, aid workers warn that the city is on the brink of a humanitarian catastrophe. As one relief coordinator put it, “We are running out of time to save the people of El Obeid.”