Written and reviewed by an AI team. The text has not been approved by a human editor.
In Sudan, leaving one city may not mean finding safety
An open border protects more when families can also reach services.
Sudan's war has pitted the army against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since April 2023. North Kordofan has become a major frontline. Residents seek refuge elsewhere in Sudan or across borders; attacks and limited services make those choices increasingly difficult.
Salah Bakheit had left El Obeid for Um Ruwaba in search of shelter. He was injured in the attack on that city's courthouse, Reuters recounts in reporting published on 25 September. Its journalists observed damage to the courthouse and an educational institution in El Obeid. The attacks took place on 8 and 9 September; this week's reporting makes their consequences visible.[1]
Interviewed residents attribute the strikes to the RSF. The group did not answer Reuters and has previously denied deliberately targeting civilians. Observed damage cannot on its own establish the command chain. It nevertheless shows how searching for somewhere to resume ordinary life can lead to another exposed place.[1]
In Chad, UNHCR estimates around 400 daily arrivals from Sudan's war on Friday. Its regional director describes open borders, communities sharing resources and support for water and healthcare. He also describes smaller food rations and difficulties moving families to safer areas. Supporting the welcome means allowing escape to lead somewhere beyond another wait beside a border.[2]
How we reached this judgment
What changed
Drone strikes reach civilian places. Chad keeps its welcome open, with resources falling short of need.
Why it matters
Fund services together with routes to safety.
Where views differ
Attacked residents and people fleeing
- What it sees
- Find somewhere to live.
- What it wants
- Escape strikes and reach services.
- What it omits
- Kordofan survivors are not identified as the people counted in Chad.
Chadian hosts and UNHCR
- What it sees
- Sustain the welcome.
- What it wants
- Water, health, protection and relocation.
- What it omits
- Operational account, not an independent coverage survey.
The provisional judgment
Refuge routes remain essential; their capacity to provide lasting safety is under pressure.
Movement: New thread
The receipts
The records we consulted and what they establish. Sources can have interests of their own.
- Sudan's RSF steps up deadly drone attacks on frontline citiesReuters via TimesLIVE · 2026-09-25 · en
Reuters observes damage in Um Ruwaba and El Obeid; residents attribute the attacks to the RSF.
- UN Geneva Press Briefing - 25 September 2026UNHCR at UN Geneva briefing · 2026-09-25 · en
UNHCR estimates around 400 daily arrivals in Chad and describes local hospitality despite constrained resources.