More than 36,000 Sudanese have fled following fall of El Fasher to paramilitary group, states UN agency
In excess of 36,000 individuals have evacuated from Sudan's Kordofan region east of Darfur starting Saturday, according to the UN's immigration body.
The key central region connecting the country's Darfur areas and the capital region has during recent weeks become the latest battleground in the two-year civil war between the Sudanese military forces and the paramilitary forces.
Massive Displacement Figures
An calculated 36,825 people fled five localities in North Kordofan state between 26 October and 31 October, as reported by the International Organization for Migration.
The civilians, primarily walking, traveled to Tawila, a town to the west of El Fasher that is currently housing over 652,000 evacuated individuals.
Escalated Forces Deployment
Citizens of North Kordofan on Monday noted a substantial rise in both RSF and army presence across communities throughout the state.
Both forces are contesting control of El Obeid, the North Kordofan provincial capital and a important strategic and command center that joins Darfur to Khartoum.
"Today, all our forces have converged on the Bara front here," said an RSF member in a recently circulated video statement.
Regional Residents Report Safety Fears
A local inhabitant of Um Smeima, located west of El Obeid, stated that the amount of RSF vehicles had increased significantly since the group's seizure of El Fasher.
"We discontinued traveling to our farms, fearing confrontations," the local explained.
Another inhabitant, who requested anonymity 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 past two weeks.
Global Warnings and Appeals
A senior UN official expressed concerns last week about "widespread abuses" and "ethnically motivated reprisals" by RSF in Bara.
The representative alerted to patterns echoing those in Darfur, where RSF militants have been charged with mass killings, sexual violence and abductions against certain racial groups.
The spiritual head on Sunday urged an prompt truce and the opening of aid passageways in Sudan, declaring that attacks on civilians and obstacles to humanitarian aid "are creating unacceptable suffering."
Sudan's diplomatic representative to Egypt on Sunday alleged RSF of perpetrating war crimes in El Fasher and announced that the Sudanese government would not negotiate with the paramilitary group.
The representative further urged the global community to designate the group as a terrorist group.