The United Nations (UN) human rights chief, Volker Turk, has raised a red flag over the looming humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in the city of el-Obeid, Sudan. During an emergency debate at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Friday, Turk urged global leaders to intervene promptly to forestall potential atrocities in the strategically significant city. The UN rights chief highlighted that civilians in el-Obeid have been enduring a 18-month siege and relentless drone attacks amidst the power struggle between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) for control over surrounding territories. Turk emphasized that this is not a simulation, but a dire warning sign of an impending human rights disaster in Sudan, particularly in el-Obeid, North Kordofan's capital. The UN's top rights body convened a rare urgent debate on the escalating human rights situation around el-Obeid following a request from the United Kingdom, on behalf of several countries. The conflict in Sudan, which commenced in April 2023 between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary RSF, has made Kordofan, with its oil reserves and the RSF's powerful allies, a hotbed for ongoing battles. With half a million inhabitants and nearly 100,000 refugees displaced by civil war, el-Obeid has faced an unprecedented surge in RSF attacks in recent weeks. The city's critical infrastructure, including the main power station and fuel depots, have been targeted in these attacks, leading to widespread power outages and water shortages. According to the UN human rights office, at least 45 people were killed and 41 others injured as a result of 15 drone attacks in el-Obeid and its surrounding areas between June 6 and 28. The European nations that initiated the debate are preparing to present a draft resolution to the 47-member UN Human Rights Council.