At least 36,000 Sudanese people have escaped after fall of El Fasher to RSF, says UN agency
In excess of 36,000 civilians have evacuated from Sudan's Kordofan region eastern part of Darfur beginning Saturday, according to the UN's migration agency.
The important central zone connecting the country's Darfur regions and the capital region has during recent weeks become the newest conflict zone in the extended civil war between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary forces.
Substantial Evacuation Statistics
An estimated 36,825 people evacuated from five districts in North Kordofan province between 26 October and 31 October, as reported by the International Organization for Migration.
The civilians, primarily walking, moved toward Tawila, a town to the west of El Fasher that is currently sheltering in excess of 652,000 refugees.
Escalated Troop Concentration
Residents of North Kordofan on Monday reported a substantial rise in both RSF and army concentration across urban and rural areas throughout the state.
Both armed factions are vying for control of El Obeid, the North Kordofan provincial capital and a important strategic and command hub that connects Darfur to Khartoum.
"Today, all our forces have gathered at the Bara front here," said an RSF member in a recently shared video message.
Local Citizens Report Protection Issues
A resident of Um Smeima, located west of El Obeid, described that the number of RSF vehicles had grown substantially since the group's takeover of El Fasher.
"We discontinued traveling to our farms, concerned about fighting," the resident stated.
Another civilian, who asked to remain unnamed for protection purposes, also confirmed that "there has been a significant rise in army vehicles and weapons west and south of El Obeid" over the previous fortnight.
International Alarms and Appeals
A senior UN official expressed concerns last week about "widespread abuses" and "ethnically motivated reprisals" by RSF in Bara.
The official warned of patterns similar to those in Darfur, where RSF militants 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 relief routes in Sudan, stating that attacks on civilians and hindrances to humanitarian aid "are producing unacceptable suffering."
Sudan's official envoy 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 paramilitary group.
The ambassador further called on the international community to categorize the group as a terrorist group.