At least 36,000 Sudanese people have evacuated after takeover of El Fasher to Rapid Support Forces, says UN agency
Over 36,000 civilians have fled Sudan's Kordofan region east of Darfur starting Saturday, according to the UN's migration organization.
The key central region separating the country's Darfur regions and the capital region has during recent weeks become the latest battleground in the extended civil war between the Sudanese armed forces and the paramilitary forces.
Substantial Displacement Figures
An estimated 36,825 people evacuated from five localities in North Kordofan province between 26 October and 31 October, as reported by the International Organization for Migration.
The civilians, primarily walking, moved toward Tawila, a town west of El Fasher that is currently sheltering over 652,000 refugees.
Increased Military Presence
Local inhabitants of North Kordofan on Monday reported a substantial rise in both RSF and army concentration 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 joins Darfur to Khartoum.
"Today, all our forces have assembled at the Bara front here," said an RSF member in a recently shared video declaration.
Local Inhabitants Report Safety Fears
A area citizen of Um Smeima, located west of El Obeid, stated that the number of RSF vehicles had increased substantially since the group's seizure of El Fasher.
"We ceased visiting our farms, afraid of confrontations," the individual explained.
Another inhabitant, who asked to remain unnamed for protection purposes, also indicated that "there has been a substantial growth in army vehicles and weapons west and south of El Obeid" over the past two weeks.
World Alarms and Calls
A senior UN official sounded warnings last week about "large-scale atrocities" and "race-driven revenge attacks" by RSF in Bara.
The representative cautioned about patterns similar to those in Darfur, where RSF fighters have been charged with mass killings, sexual violence and abductions against specific ethnic communities.
The religious leader on Sunday called for an prompt truce and the opening of aid passageways in Sudan, declaring that attacks on civilians and obstacles to humanitarian aid "are creating unacceptable suffering."
Sudan's diplomatic representative to Egypt on Sunday accused RSF of carrying out 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 group.
