RSF-SAF Clash Over Umm Arada Near El Obeid Kills 14+ Civilians; Rival Claims Over Village Control

Heavy fighting erupted on Friday, August 14, 2026 southwest and west of El Obeid, North Kordofan's capital, as the RSF launched a dawn ground assault on army positions around Umm Arada and the Jabal al-Hashaba hills, roughly 15km southwest of the city. The Sudanese rights group Emergency Lawyers said the RSF attack on Umm Arada killed more than 14 civilians and wounded dozens more; El Obeid Hospital received at least 12 bodies and admitted around 15 injured. The RSF claimed in a statement it had taken full control of Umm Arada after defeating Sudanese army forces, while a Sudanese military source told AFP the army had repelled two RSF attacks in the Umm Arada and Jabal al-Hashaba areas, inflicting heavy losses on the attacking force. AFP said it could not independently verify either account due to restricted access and disrupted communications in the area. The clash, part of the intensifying siege of El Obeid, triggered a fresh wave of civilian displacement.