"There is an atmosphere of constant fear and panic". Halima Mustafa, a young Sudanese psychologist, describes by phone the situation in El-Obeid, Sudan, in recent days. Like her, nearly 500,000 people are trapped in the capital of North Kordofan region, which is under the control of the Sudanese army.The Rapid Support Forces (RSF), who have been confronting them for three years in a brutal fight for control of the country, have surrounded the city and are besieging it, waiting to enter. "We have reports indicating that the RSF are preparing to launch a massive attack on El-Obeid," confirms Amnesty International's Sudan researcher, Abdullahi Hassan, to ARA, warning that "time is running out to act".