21-27 June 2026 Sudan News Summary: pressure on women, crisis in El Obeid

28 Jun

Arabic news roundup

By William Greenwood

Thousands of women living in overcrowded shelters and remote displacement areas across Sudan are enduring a harsh reality imposed by the war, having simultaneously lost their husbands, homes, and sources of income.
Since the outbreak of the war, poverty and displacement have spread, leaving many women to face daily struggles against hunger, gruelling labor, and a lack of protection.
Humanitarian activists report that displaced women face various forms of exploitation—particularly in informal work settings and shelters—where risks are heightened by the absence of oversight and protective measures.
Hind Al-Taif, coordinator of the Women’s Office for the East Nile Emergency Room in Khartoum State, notes that in many displacement sites, women—along with women-led organisations and initiatives—were among the first to step in and provide direct support, with efforts ranging from supplying food and offering psychological support to creating safe spaces and facilitating access to healthcare and essential services.
Despite these challenges, feminist initiatives and community-led efforts continue to operate under extremely difficult conditions to ensure support reaches the most vulnerable women. However, achieving a more effective and sustainable response requires greater support and genuine empowerment for local actors.

The city of El Obeid is facing an escalating drinking water crisis and an acute fuel shortage, amidst ongoing drone attacks targeting residential neighbourhoods, infrastructure, and essential service facilities.
This situation unfolds as international calls mount for the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to halt a potential offensive on the city, amid warnings of possible attacks against civilians.
Water prices have seen an unprecedented surge; when available, the cost of a barrel ranges from 24,000 to 30,000 Sudanese pounds in some central and western neighbourhoods.
Activists on social media have circulated videos and images showing long lines of residents waiting at water sources in various parts of the city.
The Wad Al-Baqqa station—the city's primary water source, located approximately 33 kilometres from El Obeid—has been subjected to repeated shelling throughout June.
Local sources reported that several civilians were killed in drone attacks targeting various locations within the city.
A U.S. State Department spokesperson called on the RSF and allied forces to cease any actions that could endanger civilians or obstruct the delivery of humanitarian aid.
From: Darfur24

By Samuel Hunt

The UN Security Council and 38 NGOs including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have demanded an immediate halt to the RSF's assault on El Obeid, warning of imminent atrocity.
The city has faced 18 months of siege-like conditions and sustained drone strikes on civilian infrastructure, raising fears of a repeat of the RSF's October 2025 assault on El Fasher, in what experts said bore the hallmarks of genocide.
A UN report has found that sexual violence is being used as a weapon of war on an unprecedented scale, with 546 verified incidents affecting at least 838 victims since the conflict began — figures the UN describes as only the tip of the iceberg due to persistent under-reporting. The majority of cases were attributed to the RSF and allied militias.

Bill Greenwood