At least 36,000 Sudanese people have evacuated since fall of El Fasher to RSF, says UN agency
Over 36,000 people have fled Sudan's Kordofan territory east of Darfur starting Saturday, as stated by the UN's immigration body.
The important central zone between the country's Darfur regions and the Khartoum-Riverine region has in recent weeks become the recent fighting area in the 24-month civil conflict between the Sudanese army and the militia group.
Massive Exodus Figures
An calculated 36,825 people fled five localities in North Kordofan province between 26 October and 31 October, according to the International Organization for Migration.
The people, primarily walking, headed to Tawila, a town western side of El Fasher that is currently sheltering over 652,000 displaced people.
Escalated Military Presence
Local inhabitants of North Kordofan on Monday described a significant increase in both RSF and army concentration across urban and rural areas throughout the state.
Both armed factions are competing for control of El Obeid, the North Kordofan provincial capital and a important strategic and command hub that joins Darfur to Khartoum.
"Today, all our forces have assembled at the Bara front here," said an RSF member in a recently circulated video declaration.
Local Inhabitants Describe Safety Fears
A area citizen of Um Smeima, located west of El Obeid, described that the number of RSF vehicles had increased substantially since the group's takeover of El Fasher.
"We ceased visiting our farms, afraid of fighting," the resident commented.
Another civilian, who sought confidentiality for security reasons, also confirmed that "there has been a significant rise in army vehicles and weapons west and south of El Obeid" over the last fourteen days.
World Alarms and Appeals
A senior UN official sounded warnings last week about "large-scale atrocities" and "ethnically motivated reprisals" by RSF in Bara.
The official alerted to patterns echoing those in Darfur, where RSF fighters have been alleged to commit mass killings, sexual violence and abductions against specific ethnic communities.
The religious leader on Sunday called for an prompt truce and the opening of aid passageways in Sudan, stating that attacks on civilians and hindrances to humanitarian aid "are causing 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 engage with the paramilitary group.
The diplomat further urged the world nations to designate the group as a terrorist group.
