At least 14 killed in attack near El Obeid in central Sudan

At least 14 civilians were killed and dozens injured on Friday after an attack on Um Arada, about 15 kilometers southwest of El Obeid, the capital of Sudan's North Kordofan State, according to Sudanese sources.

The Emergency Lawyers, a volunteer group, said the attack was carried out by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), with initial reports putting the civilian death toll at 14 and the number of wounded at dozens.

The group said residents fled the area following the attack as fighting between the RSF and Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) continued across North Kordofan, worsening already dire humanitarian conditions.

A medical source at El Obeid Hospital said that the facility had received the bodies of at least 12 people and admitted about 15 others with injuries. The source said more casualties were still arriving.

The RSF, in a statement on its Telegram channel, said it had taken "full control" of Um Arada after SAF forces withdrew, leaving behind weapons and military equipment. It also said its operations were continuing on the Kordofan and Blue Nile fronts.

The Sudanese army, however, gave a different account, saying its forces and allied fighters had repelled an RSF assault on Um Arada and inflicted "heavy losses" on the attacking forces.

Fighting has intensified across North, West and South Kordofan in recent weeks, raising concerns about the safety of civilians and worsening humanitarian conditions in conflict-affected areas.

Sudan has been gripped by conflict between the SAF and RSF since April 2023. 

The conflict has killed thousands of people and displaced millions both within the country and across its borders.