UN Official Notes Temporary Easing in North Kordofan Amidst Ongoing Crisis
A UN deputy high commissioner reports that international pressure has led to a temporary decline in drone attacks in Sudan, though the humanitarian situation remains critical with thousands of civilian deaths documented.
Awa Dabo, the UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, stated that international pressure has produced a temporary positive effect on the security situation in North Kordofan. Speaking at the 63rd session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, she noted that drone attacks in the region declined in July following increased global attention. However, she emphasized that the overall situation remains critical, with the office having documented at least 1,120 civilian deaths resulting from drone strikes in the first six months of 2026. These fatalities represent 80 percent of all civilian deaths recorded by the UN human rights body during that period, according to Dabo.
Competing Forces Control Key Supply Routes
The conflict has intensified as the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces compete for control of vital supply lines linking North Kordofan, El Obeid, and Khartoum. Dabo reported that ground offensives resumed in August towards the south and east, severely restricting access to water supplies for local populations. Civilians fleeing the intense fighting are moving towards El Obeid, where they face acute resource shortages and growing social tensions with new arrivals. Humanitarian workers continue to encounter hostility while attempting to deliver aid in these volatile areas.
Violence Expands Across Multiple Regions
Dabo warned that the scope of violence has expanded geographically to include South Kordofan, Blue Nile, and North Darfur. In these areas, civilians are reported to be facing extrajudicial killings, sexual and physical violence, arbitrary detention, abduction, and looting. She also highlighted continuing tensions between communities, which are being fueled by hate speech. According to the UN official, leaders of the Rapid Support Forces are exacerbating these divisions and shifting alliances, thereby increasing inter-community violence in several regions.
National Investigations Target Strategic Drone Use
Intisar Abdelaal, Sudan’s Attorney General and head of the National Investigation Committee, indicated that the committee is making progress in monitoring and gathering evidence regarding attacks attributed to the Rapid Support Forces. She stated that investigations are focusing on the use of strategic drones and the alleged targeting of vital facilities and civilians. Abdelaal described these actions as terrorist acts and violations of international humanitarian law, noting that health facilities, infrastructure, civilian centers, and cemeteries were among the main targets, according to her remarks.
The reporting from the UN, as cited by GN geopolitics/rights (en-US), underscores the complex interplay between military strategy and humanitarian impact in Sudan. The next phase of the conflict will likely be determined by whether international pressure can sustain the recent decline in drone attacks or if ground offensives will further destabilize the region. Observers will watch for changes in supply route control and the extent of community tensions in the coming months.
