The Sudanese army attacks the city of "Al-Obeid" and the "Rapid Support" siege in Darfur
Last night and at dawn on Sunday, July 19, the Sudanese army escalated the pace of its air and ground military operations in the regions of Kordofan and Darfur, recording a new strategic advance in the vicinity of the city of Al-Obeid and its western axis through a surprise tripartite attack in which the air and ground forces and special operations forces participated, at a time when the region is witnessing exceptional humanitarian challenges and unprecedented land displacement.
Sudanese field and military sources reported that the air force and the joint forces carried out intensive artillery bombardment and guided drone raids to retake the city of Mellit in North Darfur state, which resulted in the destruction of the largest fuel depots of the "Rapid Support" forces in the city, in addition to the destruction of a huge convoy of fuel trucks on the western border with the state of Chad that was on its way to supply the factions.
In parallel, the air warplanes targeted the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the Sanjakaya and Hammadi areas of South Kordofan, causing heavy losses in equipment and the death of a number of field commanders.
In the vicinity of the city of al-Obeid, intensive airstrikes coordinated with the Special Action Units (SDGs ) forced the RSF to retreat and withdraw from their positions on the western axis, which houses their largest crowds, completely paralyzing their ability to maneuver.
The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) continued to broadcast warnings to residents of the city to evacuate immediately or stay home, claiming to be approaching the army's advanced positions amid escalating UN warnings against the use of civilians as human shields.
Lack of funding threatens millions of displaced people
Humanitarianly, the city of El Obeid is facing enormous living pressures following a huge demographic leap, as its population jumped from 800,000 to more than 3 million people as a result of the continuous waves of displacement fleeing the battles in Darfur and Kordofan, which has placed a heavy burden on basic care facilities and medical services.
The international safety organization NGO (INSO) has classified North Kordofan state as the most vulnerable area to drone attacks this year, with at least 141 attacks recorded as of July 8.
Following his visit to the city, the Director of the World Food Programme (WFP) in Sudan, Abdullah Al-Wardat, warned of the rapid deterioration of the humanitarian situation as the number of new arrivals to the camps doubled, stressing that the decline in international funding has forced the program to provide only 50% of the scheduled food ration to refugees.
The Humanitarian Aid Commission in the state pointed out that Al-Obeid is home to about 1,200,000 displaced people, of whom only 400,000 people receive food support, while another 800,000 face imminent danger with the spread of the cholera epidemic and the shortage of drinking water with a deficit of 70%.
In the context of successive humanitarian crises, Sudanese circles were shocked by the discovery of the bodies of 33 passengers, most of them women and children, including a teacher and her five children, who died of thirst in the arid desert between the cities of Melit (North Darfur) and Dibba (Northern State), after the vehicle carrying them broke down and they remained stuck in it for about two months before other passengers discovered their fate.
Violations in Kordofan, EU targets gold sector
In West Kordofan state, the Dar Hamr emergency room accused the Rapid Support Forces of continuing their violations against civilians after an armed force looted a herd of camels from the "Um Labana" area in the countryside of Al-Khoy, and demanded that its owners pay a ransom of up to 80 million Sudanese pounds (about $83,000) in exchange for their return, threatening to confiscate them permanently if they are not paid.
On the economic and diplomatic front, Sudanese Finance Minister Jibril Ibrahim announced Khartoum's total rejection of the latest package of sanctions approved by the European Union that targeted the "war economy" by banning the import of Sudanese gold and preventing the export of mercury.
During his meeting with the President of the Euro-African Parliamentary Committee, Hilda Footmans, the Sudanese minister indicated that these restrictive measures will reflect negatively on the pension of Sudanese people, as the private sector acquires 80% of private mining, calling on the European Commission to classify the Rapid Support Forces as a "terrorist militia".
In turn, the Sudan mission presented to the United Nations in New York its Ten-Year Recovery and Reconstruction Strategy (2026-2036), which aims to provide 5 million housing units to those affected and repair road networks, bridges, and public utilities.