Dozens of countries warn of atrocities as fighting escalates in Sudan's el-Obeid
A coalition of at least 29 countries warned on June 18 of mounting atrocities against civilians in and around el-Obeid, the capital of Sudan’s North Kordofan state, as fighting between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces intensifies, Al Jazeera reports . The signatories called for pressure on the warring parties to protect non-combatants and allow humanitarian access.
El-Obeid is a strategic crossroads linking the capital region to the contested Kordofan and Darfur areas, making control of the city a priority for both sides. A coordinated statement from this many governments signals concern that the city could see the kind of mass violence documented elsewhere in the war, but such warnings carry little enforcement weight without sanctions or an arms embargo behind them.