Paramilitary Forces Surround Sudan City, 500,000 Civilians Face ‘Imminent Risk of Mass Atrocities’

Paramilitary Forces Surround Sudan City, 500,000 Civilians Face ‘Imminent Risk of Mass Atrocities’

Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces are massing around the strategic city of el-Obeid, threatening to trap half a million civilians and spark a new wave of atrocities similar to the ethnic cleansing seen in Darfur.

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The United Nations Security Council has warned of an “imminent risk of mass atrocities” in el-Obeid, a key crossroads for supply routes and humanitarian aid in western Sudan [179497]. The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are gathering around the city, raising fears of attacks targeting civilians similar to those previously seen in Darfur’s el-Fasher [181600]. Rebel soldiers have surrounded the area, threatening to trap approximately 500,000 people in the crossfire of a potential massacre [177804].

The conflict between the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) began in April 2023. It has killed tens of thousands of people and forced millions to flee their homes, with the UN calling it one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises [179497]. A new United Nations human rights report details the widespread use of sexual violence since the war began, describing the brutality and scale of such attacks and warning of their deep, lasting effects on victims and communities [180475].

The RSF has received military support from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) throughout the war [179497]. Human Rights Watch recently reported that hundreds of Colombian private military contractors traveled through UAE military facilities before deploying to Sudan to support the RSF [179497]. Some governments are speaking out more loudly about the war crimes. On June 18, Norway issued a warning to the RSF on behalf of a new group called the Coalition for Atrocity Prevention and Justice for Sudan, formed at the UN Human Rights Council [179497].

The Security Council is set to meet on Sudan on June 26. Experts recommend new sanctions on RSF commanders and their key supporters, including backers in the UAE [179497]. The question remains whether international sanctions, already imposed on some RSF leaders, can deter further bloodshed [181600].

Sources

UN Warns of 'Imminent Risk of Mass Atrocities' in Sudan's El Obeid #179497Sudan paramilitary masses near key city; Darfur-style attacks feared #181600500,000 civilians trapped as rebels surround Sudan city #177804UN report: Sexual violence widespread in Sudan war #180475

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