More than 36,000 Sudanese citizens have evacuated following capture of El Fasher to RSF, says UN agency
In excess of 36,000 individuals have evacuated from Sudan's Kordofan territory eastern part of Darfur since Saturday, as reported by the UN's migration agency.
The key central region between the country's Darfur areas and the Khartoum-Riverine region has during recent weeks become the latest battleground in the extended civil war between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary group.
Substantial Evacuation Statistics
An approximated 36,825 people fled five localities in North Kordofan state between 26 October and 31 October, per data from the International Organization for Migration.
The civilians, primarily walking, moved toward Tawila, a town to the west of El Fasher that is currently housing in excess of 652,000 evacuated individuals.
Increased Military Presence
Local inhabitants of North Kordofan on Monday described a heavy surge in both RSF and army presence across urban and rural areas throughout the state.
Both armed factions are contesting control of El Obeid, the North Kordofan regional capital and a critical supply and command base that links Darfur to Khartoum.
"Today, all our forces have assembled at the Bara front here," commented an RSF member in a recently circulated video message.
Local Inhabitants Describe Protection Issues
A area citizen of Um Smeima, located west of El Obeid, described that the amount of RSF vehicles had grown substantially since the group's seizure of El Fasher.
"We ceased visiting our farms, fearing confrontations," the local explained.
Another inhabitant, who asked to remain unnamed for protection purposes, also indicated that "there has been a big increase in army vehicles and weapons west and south of El Obeid" over the previous fortnight.
International Warnings and Appeals
A senior UN official raised the alarm last week about "large-scale atrocities" and "ethnically motivated reprisals" by RSF in Bara.
The diplomat cautioned about 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 creation of aid passageways in Sudan, saying that attacks on civilians and obstacles to humanitarian aid "are producing unacceptable suffering."
Sudan's diplomatic representative to Egypt on Sunday alleged RSF of carrying out war crimes in El Fasher and stated that the Sudanese government would not discuss with the paramilitary group.
The diplomat further called on the world nations to categorize the group as a terrorist organisation.
