Over 36,000 Sudanese people have escaped since takeover of El Fasher to Rapid Support Forces, says UN agency
Over 36,000 people have evacuated from Sudan's Kordofan region east of Darfur starting Saturday, as reported by the UN's migration agency.
The important central zone between the country's Darfur provinces and the capital region has in recent weeks become the recent fighting area in the extended civil war between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary forces.
Massive Exodus Statistics
An estimated 36,825 people fled five areas in North Kordofan province between 26 October and 31 October, per data from the International Organization for Migration.
The individuals, mainly traveling by foot, moved toward Tawila, a town western side of El Fasher that is currently accommodating in excess of 652,000 displaced people.
Increased Troop Concentration
Residents of North Kordofan on Monday noted a significant increase in both RSF and army presence across urban and rural areas throughout the state.
Both armed factions are contesting control of El Obeid, the North Kordofan state capital and a key logistics 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 circulated video declaration.
Regional Residents Report Protection Issues
A local inhabitant of Um Smeima, located west of El Obeid, stated that the number of RSF vehicles had risen significantly since the group's takeover of El Fasher.
"We stopped going to our farms, concerned about fighting," the individual explained.
Another resident, who asked to remain unnamed for safety concerns, also confirmed that "there has been a significant rise in army vehicles and weapons west and south of El Obeid" over the past two weeks.
International Warnings and Appeals
A senior UN official expressed concerns last week about "extensive crimes" and "race-driven revenge attacks" by RSF in Bara.
The representative cautioned about patterns similar to those in Darfur, where RSF combatants have been charged with mass killings, sexual violence and abductions against non-Arab ethnic groups.
The spiritual head on Sunday called for an immediate ceasefire and the establishment of aid passageways in Sudan, saying that attacks on civilians and hindrances to humanitarian aid "are causing unacceptable suffering."
Sudan's official envoy to Egypt on Sunday accused RSF of carrying out war crimes in El Fasher and announced that the Sudanese government would not negotiate with the militia organization.
The representative further urged the global community to designate the group as a terrorist entity.