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El Obeid (Fides News Agency) – El Obeid continues to be one of the main hotbeds of Sudan's conflict. The city continues to come under repeated drone attacks, while residents face severe water shortages, frequent power outages, food insecurity and an increasing risk of sexual violence, particularly for women forced to travel long distances to collect water. These challenges are compounded by the growing threat of famine in Darfur, driven by drought, soaring prices for basic necessities, the deep-rooted shortage of funds for humanitarian assistance and the role of the conflict in fueling the illicit trade in gold and gum arabic. According to the United Nations, drone strikes killed more than 1,000 civilians during the first five months of 2026.
On Sunday, August 2, the Sudanese Armed Forces carried out a drone strike on a traditional court in the village of Garra al-Zawaya, in North Darfur, according to a human rights organization. The attack reportedly killed 35 people, wounded numerous civilians and damaged the building housing the court, a customary institution responsible for settling local and tribal disputes. The village is currently under the control of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Garra al-Zawaya is located near the town of Kabkabiya in North Darfur, about 150 kilometers west of El Fasher, the last remaining stronghold of the Sudanese army in Darfur, which came under intense pressure following the RSF's bloody offensive in October last year (see Fides, 28/10/2025). After capturing the city, the RSF—formed from the Janjaweed militias accused of atrocities in Darfur in the early 2000s—consolidated their control over much of the region. Since then, both sides have intensified their use of drones, making them one of the conflict's principal weapons.
Last week, after losing control of a key highway linking Khartoum to El Obeid, RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Daglo released a video message urging his fighters to intensify military operations. The United Nations has repeatedly warned that any further RSF advance toward El Obeid and across the Kordofan region could trigger new large-scale massacres.
(AP) (Fides News Agency, 3/8/2026)
