More than 36,000 Sudanese citizens have fled since capture of El Fasher to paramilitary group, says UN agency
More than 36,000 civilians have escaped Sudan's Kordofan area east of Darfur beginning Saturday, as stated by the UN's immigration body.
The important central zone separating the country's Darfur provinces and the Khartoum-Riverine area has in recent weeks become the recent fighting area in the two-year civil war between the Sudanese army and the militia group.
Massive Displacement Statistics
An estimated 36,825 people evacuated from five districts in North Kordofan province between 26 October and 31 October, according to the International Organization for Migration.
The people, primarily walking, moved toward Tawila, a town to the west of El Fasher that is currently sheltering in excess of 652,000 displaced people.
Escalated Troop Concentration
Local inhabitants of North Kordofan on Monday noted a heavy surge in both RSF and army deployment across towns and villages throughout the state.
Both armed factions are vying for control of El Obeid, the North Kordofan regional capital and a important strategic and command hub that joins Darfur to Khartoum.
"Today, all our forces have assembled at the Bara front here," stated an RSF member in a recently shared video statement.
Area Citizens Report Protection Issues
A area citizen of Um Smeima, located west of El Obeid, described that the quantity of RSF vehicles had risen considerably since the group's takeover of El Fasher.
"We ceased visiting our farms, concerned about clashes," the resident stated.
Another civilian, who sought confidentiality 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.
World Warnings and Calls
A senior UN official sounded warnings last week about "large-scale atrocities" and "ethnic-based retaliations" by RSF in Bara.
The official cautioned about patterns echoing those in Darfur, where RSF fighters have been accused of mass killings, sexual violence and abductions against certain racial groups.
The religious leader on Sunday appealed for an quick cessation of hostilities and the establishment of humanitarian corridors in Sudan, declaring that attacks on civilians and impediments to humanitarian aid "are causing unacceptable suffering."
Sudan's diplomatic representative to Egypt on Sunday charged RSF of committing war crimes in El Fasher and announced that the Sudanese government would not discuss with the armed faction.
The diplomat further urged the international community to categorize the group as a terrorist organisation.
