More than 36,000 Sudanese have fled following fall of El Fasher to RSF, says UN agency
In excess of 36,000 civilians have evacuated from Sudan's Kordofan area eastern part of Darfur since Saturday, as stated by the UN's immigration body.
The key central region connecting the country's Darfur regions and the capital region has over recent weeks become the recent fighting area in the 24-month civil conflict between the Sudanese army and the militia group.
Significant Displacement Figures
An approximated 36,825 people escaped five localities in North Kordofan state between 26 October and 31 October, according to the International Organization for Migration.
The civilians, mainly traveling by foot, traveled to Tawila, a town to the west of El Fasher that is currently accommodating over 652,000 refugees.
Heightened Troop Concentration
Residents of North Kordofan on Monday noted a heavy surge in both RSF and army concentration across towns and villages throughout the state.
Both armed factions are competing for control of El Obeid, the North Kordofan state capital and a key logistics and command base that links Darfur to Khartoum.
"Today, all our forces have assembled at the Bara front here," commented an RSF member in a recently circulated video declaration.
Area Citizens Describe Safety Fears
A area citizen of Um Smeima, located west of El Obeid, reported that the number of RSF vehicles had grown significantly since the group's seizure of El Fasher.
"We stopped going to our farms, fearing fighting," the local explained.
Another civilian, who sought confidentiality for safety concerns, also indicated that "there has been a substantial growth in army vehicles and weapons west and south of El Obeid" over the previous fortnight.
World Alarms and Appeals
A senior UN official expressed concerns last week about "widespread abuses" and "ethnic-based retaliations" by RSF in Bara.
The official cautioned about patterns similar to those in Darfur, where RSF fighters have been accused of mass killings, sexual violence and abductions against non-Arab ethnic groups.
The religious leader on Sunday urged an prompt truce and the opening of humanitarian corridors in Sudan, saying that attacks on civilians and hindrances to humanitarian aid "are producing unacceptable suffering."
Sudan's official envoy to Egypt on Sunday accused RSF of carrying out war crimes in El Fasher and stated that the Sudanese government would not discuss with the paramilitary group.
The diplomat further called on the world nations to categorize the group as a terrorist group.
