Attacks by Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on villages in North Kordofan have killed six civilians and forced more than 1,000 people to flee to the state capital, El Obeid, according to security sources and a local official.
The attacks took place on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, when RSF fighters raided Um Dareisa and Al-Shaqla, about 40 kilometres southwest of El Obeid. Several residents were reportedly wounded, while others remain missing.
A North Kordofan government official said more than 1,000 people from 215 families arrived in El Obeid on foot by midday Thursday, August 20. Many of the displaced, including women, children and elderly people, were reportedly in critical condition after walking long distances.
The official accused RSF fighters of unlawful killings, physical assaults, sexual violence and forced displacement, alleging that the attacks were intended to facilitate the looting of supplies. The RSF has not immediately commented on the allegations.
The latest displacement has added pressure on eight overcrowded camps in El Obeid, which provide shelter and emergency food to more than 100,000 displaced people. The city and surrounding neighbourhoods are estimated to host about 1.3 million displaced people.