More than 36,000 Sudanese citizens have escaped since fall of El Fasher to paramilitary group, says UN agency
Over 36,000 civilians have escaped Sudan's Kordofan territory eastern sector of Darfur since Saturday, as stated by the UN's migration organization.
The important central zone between the country's Darfur regions and the capital region has during recent weeks become the recent fighting area in the extended civil war between the Sudanese military forces and the militia group.
Significant Exodus Figures
An calculated 36,825 people fled five areas in North Kordofan region between 26 October and 31 October, as reported by the International Organization for Migration.
The people, mainly traveling by foot, moved toward Tawila, a town west of El Fasher that is currently accommodating more than 652,000 refugees.
Heightened Military Presence
Citizens of North Kordofan on Monday reported a substantial rise in both RSF and army presence across urban and rural areas throughout the state.
Both forces are contesting control of El Obeid, the North Kordofan provincial capital and a critical supply and command hub that joins Darfur to Khartoum.
"Today, all our forces have assembled at the Bara front here," said an RSF member in a recently shared video message.
Regional Residents Describe Security Concerns
A area citizen of Um Smeima, located west of El Obeid, stated that the amount of RSF vehicles had grown significantly since the group's seizure of El Fasher.
"We ceased visiting our farms, afraid of clashes," the resident explained.
Another civilian, who sought confidentiality for security reasons, also indicated that "there has been a big increase in army vehicles and weapons west and south of El Obeid" over the past two weeks.
International Alarms and Calls
A senior UN official sounded warnings last week about "widespread abuses" and "ethnic-based retaliations" by RSF in Bara.
The representative warned of patterns echoing those in Darfur, where RSF militants have been charged with mass killings, sexual violence and abductions against non-Arab ethnic groups.
The church leader on Sunday urged an prompt truce and the establishment of aid passageways in Sudan, saying that attacks on civilians and hindrances to humanitarian aid "are creating unacceptable suffering."
Sudan's official envoy to Egypt on Sunday charged RSF of committing war crimes in El Fasher and announced that the Sudanese government would not negotiate with the militia organization.
The ambassador further encouraged the global community to designate the group as a terrorist group.