UN relief chief calls head of Sudan's Rapid Support Forces over military escalation
United Nations, July 7
UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher has called the head of Sudan's Rapid Support Forces to raise concerns about a military escalation.
The coordinator called RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo to discuss the escalating hostilities in Sudan, including in El Obeid, the state capital of North Kordofan, said the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), which Fletcher leads.
"Fletcher stressed the need to maintain safe access for humanitarians to reach those in need, as well as safe movement for civilians. He also expressed concern over the impact of drone attacks on civilians and the infrastructure they rely on," said OCHA on Monday (local time).
They also discussed challenges impacting the ability of the United Nations and nongovernmental organisation partners to carry out life-saving relief efforts, including bureaucratic impediments, according to the office.
On Sunday, the UN resident and humanitarian coordinator in Sudan, Denise Brown, wrapped up a mission to El Obeid, where she engaged with partners on the aid response and witnessed the impact of attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, said OCHA.
Since May, at least 18 children have been killed and 17 others injured in El Obeid. Across the country, at least 330 children were killed or injured during the first six months of 2026, said OCHA, quoting figures from the UN Children's Fund.
OCHA reiterated its call for the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure, and for all parties to facilitate rapid, safe, unhindered and sustained humanitarian access to all people in need across Sudan, reports Xinhua news agency.
A civil war broke out in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF. The United Nations sounded the alarm last month over the military buildup around El Obeid, which it said might signal an imminent ground offensive by the RSF. The RSF's siege and capture of El Fasher, the capital city of North Darfur state, in September and October 2025 led to a massacre of civilians in the city.
— IANS
Reader Comments
As someone who has family in conflict zones, I can feel the desperation. The RSF and the armed forces are both guilty of ignoring civilian safety. What about the mothers and children trapped in El Obeid? India must raise this at the UN Security Council—we have moral authority after our own trauma with cross-border violence. 🇮🇳
The UN's approach seems like a public relations exercise. Doubled down on 'phone calls' while 330 children die in six months? Even our local panchayat would do better. India should offer to mediate—we have experience managing diverse communities and can bring practical solutions. Just talk, not enough yaar.
This is heartbreaking. Sudan's civil war is like a slow motion tragedy, and nobody is paying attention because it's not in the headlines. The drone attacks—these are modern horrors that remind me of the [redacted] crisis in Kashmir, but worse. UN should impose an arms embargo on both sides. Enough is enough.
As a global citizen, I'm appalled. The UN is failing Sudan. 18 children killed in El Obeid alone—where is the outrage? The RSF and the army seem to have no regard for human life. Let's hope India, with its growing influence, can push for a resolution at the UN. This is beyond borders.
It's painful to see the UN's humanitarian chief calling war criminals while civilians suffer. The RSF leader is a wanted figure for atrocities—why is the UN legitimizing him by a call? India's foreign policy should offer neutral mediation, but not reward war criminals. Protect the children
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.