Dozens of countries are sounding the alarm... Sudan is on the brink of a new explosion in North Kordofan.

Written by Badr Ahmed:

Dozens of countries, including Britain and France, have issued warnings.GermanyDuring a session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, he warned of an imminent escalation in the attack by Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces on the city of El Obeid in North Kordofan state, amid growing fears of widespread atrocities against civilians.

Norway’s ambassador to the United Nations, Tormuud Andresen, said the international community is deeply concerned about the risk of escalation on the ground, noting that nearly 500,000 civilians face a direct threat, including more than 100,000 internally displaced people, should military operations expand within and around the city.

UN warns of an imminent humanitarian catastrophe in the city of Al-Abyad

In a joint statement issued on behalf of the Coalition for the Prevention of Atrocities and Justice for Sudan, which includes Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands and Norway, and was later joined by 21 other countries, the countries called on the Rapid Support Forces to immediately halt their attack on El Obeid, warning of serious humanitarian and security repercussions.

El Obeid is one of the largest cities in Sudan and the capital of North Kordofan state. In recent months, it has witnessed violent clashes as part of the ongoing war in the country, which has caused the displacement of nearly 14 million people, in addition to widespread famine and disease and escalating ethnic violence.

The international coalition urged all parties to the conflict, including the Rapid Support Forces and the Sudanese Armed Forces, to exercise maximum restraint, prevent any violations against civilians, and ensure unhindered access for humanitarian aid to the affected areas.

According to the statement, the city of El Obeid has been suffering from near-siege conditions for more than 18 months, amid reports of continued drone attacks that have killed at least 50 civilians in recent days, in addition to the destruction of civilian infrastructure in North Kordofan.

In the same context, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, warned that any imminent attack on the city could lead to serious violations of international humanitarian law, noting that the world had already witnessed a similar pattern of violations in other parts of Sudan.

Turk said that international inaction could lead to a new human rights and humanitarian catastrophe, calling on influential countries to use available pressure tools to stop the escalation and prevent a repeat of the atrocities documented in Darfur displacement camps during the past year.

The warnings come as the war between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces continues for more than three years, with the army controlling large areas in the center and east, while the Rapid Support Forces control most of the Darfur region, while the parties are vying for control of the strategically important Kordofan regions.

Human rights reports have accused the Rapid Support Forces of committing widespread abuses, including ethnically motivated killings in West Darfur. The forces deny these accusations, affirming their commitment to holding accountable any elements proven to be involved in abuses.