More than 36,000 Sudanese have escaped after takeover of El Fasher to RSF, says UN agency
Over 36,000 people have evacuated from Sudan's Kordofan territory eastern part of Darfur since Saturday, as stated by the UN's migration agency.
The key central region between the country's Darfur provinces and the Khartoum-Riverine region has during recent weeks become the latest battleground in the extended civil war between the Sudanese army and the militia group.
Significant Exodus Numbers
An calculated 36,825 people escaped five areas in North Kordofan region between 26 October and 31 October, as reported by the International Organization for Migration.
The civilians, most on foot, moved toward Tawila, a town western side of El Fasher that is currently accommodating in excess of 652,000 displaced people.
Heightened Forces Deployment
Local inhabitants of North Kordofan on Monday noted a heavy surge in both RSF and army deployment across communities throughout the state.
Both military groups are competing for control of El Obeid, the North Kordofan state capital and a important strategic and command hub that connects Darfur to Khartoum.
"Today, all our forces have gathered at the Bara front here," stated an RSF member in a recently distributed video statement.
Area Residents Report Safety Fears
A resident of Um Smeima, located west of El Obeid, stated that the amount of RSF vehicles had risen substantially since the group's capture of El Fasher.
"We stopped going to our farms, concerned about clashes," the resident stated.
Another inhabitant, who requested anonymity 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 previous fortnight.
Global Concerns and Requests
A senior UN official raised the alarm last week about "widespread abuses" and "race-driven revenge attacks" by RSF in Bara.
The representative alerted to patterns echoing those in Darfur, where RSF militants have been alleged to commit mass killings, sexual violence and abductions against non-Arab ethnic groups.
The religious leader on Sunday appealed for an quick cessation of hostilities and the creation of relief routes in Sudan, saying that attacks on civilians and hindrances to humanitarian aid "are producing unacceptable suffering."
Sudan's official envoy to Egypt on Sunday accused RSF of committing war crimes in El Fasher and stated that the Sudanese government would not negotiate with the armed faction.
The representative further called on the international community to designate the group as a terrorist group.