At least 36,000 Sudanese people have fled following fall of El Fasher to paramilitary group, says UN agency
Over 36,000 civilians have evacuated from Sudan's Kordofan territory eastern part of Darfur since Saturday, as reported by the UN's immigration body.
The important central zone connecting the country's Darfur areas and the capital region has in recent weeks become the newest conflict zone in the 24-month civil conflict between the Sudanese armed forces and the paramilitary forces.
Massive Displacement Statistics
An approximated 36,825 people fled five localities in North Kordofan region between 26 October and 31 October, per data from the International Organization for Migration.
The people, mainly traveling by foot, moved toward Tawila, a town to the west of El Fasher that is currently sheltering more than 652,000 evacuated individuals.
Escalated Forces Deployment
Citizens of North Kordofan on Monday reported a substantial rise in both RSF and army deployment across communities throughout the state.
Both forces are vying for control of El Obeid, the North Kordofan regional capital and a key logistics and command center that connects Darfur to Khartoum.
"Today, all our forces have gathered at the Bara front here," said an RSF member in a recently circulated video statement.
Regional Residents Detail Safety Fears
A local inhabitant of Um Smeima, located west of El Obeid, described that the number of RSF vehicles had risen substantially since the group's seizure of El Fasher.
"We discontinued traveling to our farms, fearing confrontations," the resident explained.
Another resident, who sought confidentiality for security reasons, also indicated that "there has been a substantial growth in army vehicles and weapons west and south of El Obeid" over the last fourteen days.
World Warnings and Requests
A senior UN official raised the alarm last week about "large-scale atrocities" and "race-driven revenge attacks" by RSF in Bara.
The official warned of patterns echoing those in Darfur, where RSF combatants have been accused of mass killings, sexual violence and abductions against non-Arab ethnic groups.
The religious leader on Sunday appealed for an prompt truce and the establishment of humanitarian corridors in Sudan, saying that attacks on civilians and obstacles to humanitarian aid "are causing unacceptable suffering."
Sudan's diplomatic representative to Egypt on Sunday charged RSF of perpetrating war crimes in El Fasher and announced that the Sudanese government would not negotiate with the militia organization.
The representative further called on the international community to designate the group as a terrorist organisation.
