More than 36,000 Sudanese citizens have escaped after takeover of El Fasher to paramilitary group, says UN agency

Over 36,000 people have escaped Sudan's Kordofan area eastern part of Darfur beginning Saturday, according to the UN's migration organization.

The strategic central area separating the country's Darfur areas and the Khartoum-Riverine region has during recent weeks become the recent fighting area in the 24-month civil conflict between the Sudanese military forces and the militia group.

Substantial Exodus Statistics

An approximated 36,825 people fled five areas in North Kordofan state between 26 October and 31 October, as reported by the International Organization for Migration.

The people, primarily walking, traveled to Tawila, a town western side of El Fasher that is currently housing in excess of 652,000 refugees.

Heightened Troop Concentration

Local inhabitants of North Kordofan on Monday reported a significant increase in both RSF and army deployment across urban and rural areas throughout the state.

Both armed factions are contesting control of El Obeid, the North Kordofan regional capital and a important strategic and command base that joins Darfur to Khartoum.

"Today, all our forces have gathered at the Bara front here," stated an RSF member in a recently distributed video statement.

Regional Residents Describe Security Concerns

A local inhabitant of Um Smeima, located west of El Obeid, stated that the amount of RSF vehicles had risen significantly since the group's takeover of El Fasher.

"We stopped going to our farms, concerned about clashes," the local stated.

Another civilian, who requested anonymity for protection purposes, also reported that "there has been a significant rise in army vehicles and weapons west and south of El Obeid" over the last fourteen days.

World Concerns and Calls

A senior UN official expressed concerns last week about "widespread abuses" and "ethnic-based retaliations" by RSF in Bara.

The official alerted to patterns similar to those in Darfur, where RSF militants have been charged with mass killings, sexual violence and abductions against specific ethnic communities.

The spiritual head on Sunday called for an quick cessation of hostilities and the opening of aid passageways in Sudan, declaring that attacks on civilians and impediments to humanitarian aid "are producing 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 ambassador further called on the global community to categorize the group as a terrorist entity.

Connor Baker
Connor Baker

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