Sudan's Al Obeid: Civilians Caught Between Drone Strikes and Arbitrary Detentions, UN Mission Reports

Civilians in the Sudanese city of Al Obeid are living under a constant threat, caught between aerial attacks and arbitrary arrests, according to UN-appointed investigators. A fact-finding mission for Sudan has issued a stark warning that the ongoing civil war is escalating in scope and danger for those on the ground.

The report details how drone strikes, reportedly carried out by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), have resulted in civilian casualties, destruction of essential infrastructure like homes and schools, and severe damage to water and electricity systems. These attacks may constitute war crimes, the investigators noted.

Concurrently, thousands of individuals have been subjected to arrests by security cells affiliated with the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), as highlighted by Mona Rishmawi, an expert on the mission. She stated that detentions and torture are occurring in Al Obeid Central Prison and other undisclosed locations, with former inmates describing overcrowded and inhumane conditions. One account mentioned up to 40 people being held in a single cell designed for a much smaller capacity.

Furthermore, SAF-affiliated actors have intensified surveillance, specifically targeting those involved in humanitarian, human rights, and peace advocacy. The report also points out the SAF's deployment of military personnel and vehicles in residential areas, near civilian homes and markets, thereby increasing the risk of civilians being caught in attacks. The mission emphasized that the presence of military objectives does not absolve either party of their obligation to protect civilians under international humanitarian law.

The conflict's impact on healthcare is also severe, with fewer than a third of Al Obeid's hospitals remaining operational due to repeated strikes. The Independent International Fact‑Finding Mission for Sudan described the war as becoming “more geographically extensive, technologically sophisticated and increasingly dangerous for civilians.”

The mission is also investigating a separate drone strike on a market in Abyei on October 19, which reportedly killed at least 80 people and is attributed to the SAF. October saw the highest number of civilian drone attacks since the conflict began, according to mission chair Mohamed Chande Othman. Another investigator, Joy Ngozi Ezeilo, advocated for an expanded UN arms embargo to cover all of Sudan, not just Darfur, and stressed the need for accountability for past atrocities, referencing the RSF's takeover of El Fasher a year prior.

Last month, the UN had already called for an immediate cessation of drone attacks in Sudan, identifying them as the primary cause of civilian casualties this year. Rosemary DiCarlo, UN undersecretary general for political and peacebuilding affairs, suggested that a mutual ban on drones could significantly enhance civilian protection, urging warring parties to agree on strict regulations for their use.

Sudan's civil war, which began in April 2023 between the SAF and the RSF, has escalated into one of the world's most severe humanitarian crises, displacing approximately 14 million people. Despite international efforts to broker a ceasefire, SAF leader Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan remains committed to continuing the fight, while both warring factions face accusations of grave abuses and war crimes.