More than 36,000 Sudanese have fled following capture of El Fasher to paramilitary group, says UN agency
Over 36,000 individuals have fled Sudan's Kordofan region eastern part of Darfur since Saturday, as reported by the UN's migration agency.
The important central zone connecting the country's Darfur areas and the Khartoum-Riverine area has during recent weeks become the latest battleground in the 24-month civil conflict between the Sudanese army and the militia group.
Significant Exodus Numbers
An approximated 36,825 people fled five localities in North Kordofan state between 26 October and 31 October, per data from the International Organization for Migration.
The people, primarily walking, headed to Tawila, a town western side of El Fasher that is currently sheltering more than 652,000 refugees.
Increased Forces Deployment
Citizens of North Kordofan on Monday reported a heavy surge in both RSF and army deployment across urban and rural areas throughout the state.
Both military groups are vying for control of El Obeid, the North Kordofan state capital and a key logistics and command base that joins Darfur to Khartoum.
"Today, all our forces have converged on the Bara front here," said an RSF member in a recently distributed video declaration.
Regional Citizens Detail Security Concerns
A area citizen of Um Smeima, located west of El Obeid, reported that the amount of RSF vehicles had risen substantially since the group's capture of El Fasher.
"We discontinued traveling to our farms, afraid of confrontations," the local explained.
Another inhabitant, who asked to remain unnamed for security reasons, also indicated that "there has been a significant rise in army vehicles and weapons west and south of El Obeid" over the last fourteen days.
Global Concerns and Requests
A senior UN official expressed concerns last week about "widespread abuses" and "ethnic-based retaliations" by RSF in Bara.
The diplomat warned of patterns similar to those in Darfur, where RSF militants have been charged with mass killings, sexual violence and abductions against non-Arab ethnic groups.
The spiritual head on Sunday appealed for an prompt truce and the creation of relief routes in Sudan, stating that attacks on civilians and impediments to humanitarian aid "are causing unacceptable suffering."
Sudan's diplomatic representative to Egypt on Sunday charged RSF of committing war crimes in El Fasher and stated that the Sudanese government would not engage with the militia organization.
The ambassador further urged the world nations to designate the group as a terrorist group.
