More than 36,000 Sudanese citizens have fled since capture of El Fasher to RSF, says UN agency
In excess of 36,000 individuals have fled Sudan's Kordofan region eastern sector of Darfur since Saturday, according to the UN's migration agency.
The key central region connecting the country's Darfur provinces and the Khartoum-Riverine region has during recent weeks become the recent fighting area in the extended civil war between the Sudanese armed forces and the paramilitary forces.
Massive Exodus Numbers
An approximated 36,825 people escaped five areas in North Kordofan state between 26 October and 31 October, as reported by the International Organization for Migration.
The civilians, primarily walking, moved toward Tawila, a town west of El Fasher that is currently sheltering more than 652,000 refugees.
Escalated Troop Concentration
Residents 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 contesting control of El Obeid, the North Kordofan provincial capital and a important strategic and command center that joins Darfur to Khartoum.
"Today, all our forces have assembled at the Bara front here," commented an RSF member in a recently circulated video declaration.
Area Residents Report Safety Fears
A resident of Um Smeima, located west of El Obeid, described that the quantity of RSF vehicles had increased significantly since the group's capture of El Fasher.
"We discontinued traveling to our farms, concerned about fighting," the local commented.
Another civilian, who sought confidentiality for safety concerns, also indicated that "there has been a significant rise in army vehicles and weapons west and south of El Obeid" over the last fourteen days.
Global Concerns and Calls
A senior UN official sounded warnings last week about "large-scale atrocities" and "race-driven revenge attacks" by RSF in Bara.
The official alerted to patterns comparable to patterns in Darfur, where RSF combatants have been alleged to commit mass killings, sexual violence and abductions against non-Arab ethnic groups.
The spiritual head on Sunday called for an quick cessation of hostilities and the establishment of humanitarian corridors in Sudan, declaring that attacks on civilians and hindrances to humanitarian aid "are producing unacceptable suffering."
Sudan's diplomatic representative to Egypt on Sunday charged RSF of carrying out war crimes in El Fasher and stated that the Sudanese government would not negotiate with the paramilitary group.
The ambassador further encouraged the international community to designate the group as a terrorist group.
