At least 36,000 Sudanese citizens have evacuated since capture of El Fasher to paramilitary group, says UN agency
In excess of 36,000 civilians have fled Sudan's Kordofan territory eastern sector of Darfur beginning Saturday, as reported by the UN's migration agency.
The strategic central area between 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 military forces and the militia group.
Massive Exodus Statistics
An approximated 36,825 people fled five districts in North Kordofan state between 26 October and 31 October, per data from the International Organization for Migration.
The people, most on foot, moved toward Tawila, a town west of El Fasher that is currently housing more than 652,000 evacuated individuals.
Increased Military Presence
Residents of North Kordofan on Monday reported a heavy surge in both RSF and army presence across urban and rural areas throughout the state.
Both forces are competing for control of El Obeid, the North Kordofan provincial capital and a key logistics 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 shared video statement.
Regional Citizens Describe Safety Fears
A resident of Um Smeima, located west of El Obeid, described that the number of RSF vehicles had risen significantly since the group's seizure of El Fasher.
"We discontinued traveling to our farms, concerned about confrontations," the resident explained.
Another inhabitant, who requested anonymity for security reasons, also indicated that "there has been a substantial growth in army vehicles and weapons west and south of El Obeid" over the last fourteen days.
World Alarms and Calls
A senior UN official raised the alarm last week about "widespread abuses" and "ethnically motivated reprisals" by RSF in Bara.
The representative cautioned about patterns comparable to patterns in Darfur, where RSF fighters have been accused of mass killings, sexual violence and abductions against certain racial groups.
The church leader on Sunday called for an quick cessation of hostilities and the establishment of aid passageways in Sudan, saying that attacks on civilians and impediments to humanitarian aid "are causing unacceptable suffering."
Sudan's diplomatic representative to Egypt on Sunday charged RSF of perpetrating war crimes in El Fasher and stated that the Sudanese government would not negotiate with the armed faction.
The ambassador further called on the world nations to designate the group as a terrorist organisation.
