More than 36,000 Sudanese have fled after capture of El Fasher to Rapid Support Forces, reports UN agency
Over 36,000 people have evacuated from Sudan's Kordofan region eastern part of Darfur starting Saturday, as stated by the UN's immigration body.
The strategic central area separating the country's Darfur regions and the Khartoum-Riverine region has in recent weeks become the recent fighting area in the 24-month civil conflict between the Sudanese armed forces and the paramilitary forces.
Significant Exodus Figures
An calculated 36,825 people escaped five areas in North Kordofan state between 26 October and 31 October, per data from the International Organization for Migration.
The people, most on foot, headed to Tawila, a town western side of El Fasher that is currently accommodating over 652,000 displaced people.
Increased Forces Deployment
Citizens of North Kordofan on Monday described a substantial rise in both RSF and army presence across communities throughout the state.
Both military groups are vying for control of El Obeid, the North Kordofan provincial capital and a critical supply and command center that connects Darfur to Khartoum.
"Today, all our forces have converged on the Bara front here," said an RSF member in a recently distributed video message.
Area Citizens Report Protection Issues
A area citizen of Um Smeima, located west of El Obeid, reported that the amount of RSF vehicles had grown substantially since the group's takeover of El Fasher.
"We discontinued traveling to our farms, afraid of fighting," the resident explained.
Another resident, who asked to remain unnamed for protection purposes, 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 "ethnically motivated reprisals" by RSF in Bara.
The official warned of patterns similar to those in Darfur, where RSF combatants have been alleged to commit mass killings, sexual violence and abductions against specific ethnic communities.
The church leader on Sunday urged an immediate ceasefire and the establishment of aid passageways in Sudan, declaring that attacks on civilians and hindrances to humanitarian aid "are causing unacceptable suffering."
Sudan's diplomatic representative to Egypt on Sunday alleged RSF of committing war crimes in El Fasher and declared that the Sudanese government would not engage with the paramilitary group.
The representative further encouraged the global community to designate the group as a terrorist entity.
