More than 36,000 Sudanese citizens have fled following fall of El Fasher to paramilitary group, reports UN agency

In excess of 36,000 individuals have escaped Sudan's Kordofan area eastern sector of Darfur beginning Saturday, as stated by the UN's migration organization.

The strategic central area separating the country's Darfur areas 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.

Massive Exodus Figures

An approximated 36,825 people evacuated from five localities in North Kordofan region 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 refugees.

Heightened Military Presence

Local inhabitants of North Kordofan on Monday described a significant increase in both RSF and army deployment across communities throughout the state.

Both military groups are contesting control of El Obeid, the North Kordofan regional capital and a key logistics and command base that joins Darfur to Khartoum.

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

Area Citizens Detail Protection Issues

A local inhabitant of Um Smeima, located west of El Obeid, stated that the quantity of RSF vehicles had risen substantially since the group's seizure of El Fasher.

"We stopped going to our farms, afraid of fighting," the local stated.

Another civilian, who asked to remain unnamed for security reasons, also indicated that "there has been a significant rise in army vehicles and weapons west and south of El Obeid" over the previous fortnight.

World Alarms and Appeals

A senior UN official expressed concerns last week about "large-scale atrocities" and "race-driven revenge attacks" by RSF in Bara.

The representative cautioned about patterns similar to those in Darfur, where RSF fighters have been accused of mass killings, sexual violence and abductions against certain racial groups.

The spiritual head on Sunday appealed for an immediate ceasefire and the establishment of aid passageways in Sudan, stating that attacks on civilians and hindrances to humanitarian aid "are causing unacceptable suffering."

Sudan's ambassador to Egypt on Sunday accused RSF of perpetrating war crimes in El Fasher and announced that the Sudanese government would not negotiate with the paramilitary group.

The ambassador further encouraged the international community to classify the group as a terrorist group.

William Martinez
William Martinez

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