The Sudanese city of El Obeid is enduring a brutal escalation of drone attacks, with aid workers reporting the most violent weekend of strikes yet. These attacks, which have become a regular occurrence, have targeted civilian infrastructure, including schools and fuel stations, resulting in the deaths of more than 20 people, including students.

El Obeid, a city of half a million residents, has emerged as a critical battleground in the ongoing conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The city's strategic location, situated between RSF-controlled western Darfur and army-controlled eastern regions, makes it a frequent target for both sides.

Aid volunteers describe the situation as "terrible," with an average of 40 to 45 drones observed flying over the city on a typical day in recent months. The latest wave of attacks specifically hit schools and fuel stations, underscoring the indiscriminate nature of the violence. According to the UN human rights office, at least 45 people were killed and 41 injured in 15 drone strikes in and around El Obeid between June 6 and June 28.

These escalating attacks have heightened fears of a repeat of the atrocities witnessed in El Fasher last year, where RSF fighters allegedly engaged in widespread violence after capturing the city. Amnesty International recently released a report detailing accusations of ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity by the RSF in their campaign to capture El Fasher. An independent UN fact-finding mission had previously stated that the RSF's actions in El Fasher bore the "hallmarks of genocide" against non-Arab communities.

The RSF's military actions have prompted warnings from the UN and other humanitarian agencies about the increasing risk of atrocities. The paramilitary group's efforts to establish blockades in El Obeid are seen as a continuation of tactics used in other conflict zones.

The United Nations high commissioner for human rights, Volker Türk, addressed delegates in Geneva on Friday, highlighting the dire humanitarian situation in Sudan and calling for international attention to the escalating violence.

El Obeid currently hosts approximately 100,000 refugees, many of whom are displaced women and children. The relentless drone strikes pose a severe threat to their safety and well-being, further exacerbating the already dire humanitarian crisis in the region.

International observers are closely monitoring the situation in El Obeid, concerned about the potential for further civilian casualties and the long-term implications for the region's stability. The continued targeting of civilian areas raises serious questions about adherence to international humanitarian law.