A US senator warns of a possible attack on El Obeid and calls for lasting peace in Sudan.

July 7, 2026 (PEN) The chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Jim Risch, warned of what he described as clear preparations by the Rapid Support Forces to attack the city of El Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan state, warning that this would put more civilians at risk.

In a post on the X platform yesterday, Resch said that the war in Sudan has “torn the country apart,” adding: “I am concerned about the apparent preparations by the Rapid Support Forces to attack the city of El Obeid, putting more civilians at risk.”

Resh called on the Rapid Support Forces, the Sudanese Armed Forces and other actors to put an end to what he described as "atrocities" and to negotiate a lasting peace.

On July 1, 2026, Senator Risch, along with Democratic Senator Chris Coons, a member of the Foreign Relations Committee, issued a statement expressing "grave concern" about the military buildup, drone strikes, and attacks on civilian infrastructure by the Rapid Support Forces and "allied militias" in preparation for an attack on El Obeid.

The statement warned against a repeat of the "horrific atrocities" that occurred when the Rapid Support Forces took control of El Fasher last year, stressing that a negotiated settlement is the only way to end the fighting.

Reich and Kunz called on the Rapid Support Forces, the Sudanese army and other actors to participate "in good faith" in negotiations leading to lasting peace, and to ensure the continued flow of humanitarian aid.

They also called on foreign backers of both sides, including "partners in the Middle East," to immediately halt the flow of weapons and resources that "prolong this disastrous war."

The statement concluded by emphasizing the need to end the war in Sudan and to support all efforts aimed at achieving peace, including the efforts of the Quartet and Quintet groups.

Earlier in June, Risch and Coons introduced the “Preventing Foreign Aggression and Escalation of Conflicts in Sudan Act of 2026,” which was approved by the committee and is awaiting a vote in a general Senate session.

This comes amid the ongoing war in Sudan since April 15, 2023, between the army and the Rapid Support Forces, which has resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands and the displacement of more than 11 million people, in what the United Nations describes as one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world.