El Obeid, Sudan (Running Africa) — More than 5,500 children have been newly displaced by escalating fighting in and around the strategic Sudanese city of El Obeid, international humanitarian organization Save the Children has warned, as the country’s deepening civil war continues to drive one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

Home to more than 500,000 residents, El Obeid has emerged as a key battleground in the conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The city has endured months under RSF siege, with intensified drone attacks further worsening conditions for civilians.

Recent strikes have damaged critical civilian infrastructure, including fuel stations, water tankers and other essential facilities, triggering severe shortages of fuel, clean water and basic public services.

Save the Children said the latest wave of displacement has left thousands of families struggling to secure shelter, healthcare, education and safe drinking water. Overcrowded displacement sites have placed additional strain on already limited humanitarian resources, leaving vulnerable communities increasingly exposed.

The deteriorating conditions have also contributed to a growing cholera outbreak, with local health authorities reporting approximately 300 confirmed cases, raising fears of a wider public health emergency.

Children continue to bear the brunt of the conflict, accounting for an estimated 55% of Sudan’s displaced population. Humanitarian agencies warn that many have experienced repeated displacement, witnessed violence, lost family members and been deprived of education and child protection services since the war began.

Aid organizations have called for greater international support, warning that prolonged insecurity is exposing children to escalating risks of trauma, exploitation and long-term psychological harm.

The United Nations has also expressed concern that El Obeid could face a similar humanitarian catastrophe to El Fasher in the Darfur region, where a prolonged siege has been accompanied by reports of widespread human rights abuses and devastating civilian suffering.

Since Sudan’s civil war erupted in April 2023, the conflict has claimed thousands of lives and forced more than 4.4 million people to flee to neighboring countries. Millions more remain internally displaced, underscoring the scale of a crisis that continues to threaten regional stability and place immense pressure on humanitarian agencies operating across Sudan.

As fighting intensifies, aid groups are urging all parties to protect civilians, facilitate humanitarian access and ensure that life-saving assistance reaches communities trapped by the conflict.