Over 36,000 Sudanese have fled since capture of El Fasher to RSF, says UN agency

Over 36,000 civilians have escaped Sudan's Kordofan region east of Darfur starting Saturday, according to the UN's migration organization.

The strategic central area separating the country's Darfur regions and the capital region has over recent weeks become the latest battleground in the extended civil war between the Sudanese army and the militia group.

Significant Exodus Figures

An approximated 36,825 people evacuated from five areas in North Kordofan region between 26 October and 31 October, according to the International Organization for Migration.

The individuals, mainly traveling by foot, traveled to Tawila, a town to the west of El Fasher that is currently accommodating over 652,000 refugees.

Increased Troop Concentration

Residents of North Kordofan on Monday reported a substantial rise in both RSF and army presence across urban and rural areas throughout the state.

Both forces are contesting control of El Obeid, the North Kordofan state capital and a key logistics and command hub that connects Darfur to Khartoum.

"Today, all our forces have converged on the Bara front here," said an RSF member in a recently distributed video statement.

Area Citizens Detail Protection Issues

A area citizen of Um Smeima, located west of El Obeid, reported that the number of RSF vehicles had risen considerably since the group's takeover of El Fasher.

"We discontinued traveling to our farms, afraid of confrontations," the local commented.

Another resident, who asked to remain unnamed for protection purposes, also indicated that "there has been a significant rise in army vehicles and weapons west and south of El Obeid" over the last fourteen days.

Global Concerns and Requests

A senior UN official raised the alarm last week about "extensive crimes" and "ethnic-based retaliations" by RSF in Bara.

The representative alerted to patterns comparable to patterns in Darfur, where RSF fighters have been accused of mass killings, sexual violence and abductions against non-Arab ethnic groups.

The spiritual head on Sunday urged an prompt truce and the opening of aid passageways in Sudan, saying that attacks on civilians and obstacles to humanitarian aid "are causing unacceptable suffering."

Sudan's ambassador to Egypt on Sunday charged RSF of carrying out war crimes in El Fasher and announced that the Sudanese government would not discuss with the armed faction.

The diplomat further encouraged the global community to categorize the group as a terrorist entity.

Chloe Beck
Chloe Beck

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