At least 36,000 Sudanese people have fled since fall of El Fasher to Rapid Support Forces, reports UN agency
Over 36,000 civilians have fled Sudan's Kordofan region eastern part of Darfur starting Saturday, as reported by the UN's immigration body.
The strategic central area separating the country's Darfur provinces and the capital region has over recent weeks become the recent fighting area in the extended civil war between the Sudanese military forces and the paramilitary group.
Massive Evacuation Numbers
An estimated 36,825 people escaped five areas in North Kordofan province between 26 October and 31 October, per data from the International Organization for Migration.
The people, primarily walking, traveled to Tawila, a town western side of El Fasher that is currently accommodating more than 652,000 evacuated individuals.
Heightened Military Presence
Citizens of North Kordofan on Monday reported a significant increase in both RSF and army deployment across communities throughout the state.
Both forces are contesting control of El Obeid, the North Kordofan state capital and a important strategic and command base that links Darfur to Khartoum.
"Today, all our forces have assembled at the Bara front here," stated an RSF member in a recently shared video declaration.
Local Residents Report Safety Fears
A local inhabitant of Um Smeima, located west of El Obeid, stated that the number of RSF vehicles had risen significantly since the group's seizure of El Fasher.
"We stopped going to our farms, concerned about confrontations," the resident explained.
Another civilian, who sought confidentiality for protection purposes, also confirmed that "there has been a significant rise in army vehicles and weapons west and south of El Obeid" over the past two weeks.
Global Warnings and Requests
A senior UN official expressed concerns last week about "large-scale atrocities" and "ethnically motivated reprisals" by RSF in Bara.
The diplomat alerted to patterns echoing those in Darfur, where RSF fighters have been alleged to commit mass killings, sexual violence and abductions against certain racial groups.
The spiritual head on Sunday urged an quick cessation of hostilities and the establishment of relief routes in Sudan, declaring that attacks on civilians and obstacles to humanitarian aid "are producing unacceptable suffering."
Sudan's diplomatic representative to Egypt on Sunday alleged RSF of committing war crimes in El Fasher and announced that the Sudanese government would not negotiate with the paramilitary group.
The representative further encouraged the global community to classify the group as a terrorist organisation.
