Why el-Obeid matters as Sudan’s war enters a new phase

More than 11,000 people, including 5,500 children, have fled escalating fighting around el-Obeid in the past two weeks, according to Save the Children. The UN warns that up to 500,000 civilians could be at risk if violence intensifies. El-Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan, is a strategic commercial hub linking Khartoum, Darfur, and southern Sudan. As the war between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces shifts focus to Kordofan, a new humanitarian emergency is unfolding.