Over 36,000 Sudanese people have evacuated following takeover of El Fasher to paramilitary group, says UN agency
In excess of 36,000 civilians have evacuated from Sudan's Kordofan territory eastern part of Darfur starting Saturday, as reported by the UN's immigration body.
The important central zone between the country's Darfur regions and the Khartoum-Riverine region has over recent weeks become the recent fighting area in the two-year civil war between the Sudanese army and the militia group.
Significant Displacement Numbers
An calculated 36,825 people evacuated from five districts in North Kordofan province between 26 October and 31 October, as reported by the International Organization for Migration.
The people, most on foot, moved toward Tawila, a town to the west of El Fasher that is currently accommodating more than 652,000 refugees.
Increased Military Presence
Residents of North Kordofan on Monday noted a substantial rise in both RSF and army presence across communities throughout the state.
Both military groups are contesting control of El Obeid, the North Kordofan state capital and a key logistics and command base that connects Darfur to Khartoum.
"Today, all our forces have converged on the Bara front here," said an RSF member in a recently circulated video message.
Local Residents Detail Safety Fears
A resident of Um Smeima, located west of El Obeid, stated that the number of RSF vehicles had grown considerably since the group's takeover of El Fasher.
"We discontinued traveling to our farms, fearing confrontations," the local stated.
Another civilian, who requested anonymity for protection purposes, also reported that "there has been a substantial growth in army vehicles and weapons west and south of El Obeid" over the last fourteen days.
Global Concerns and Requests
A senior UN official sounded warnings last week about "extensive crimes" and "ethnically motivated reprisals" by RSF in Bara.
The representative cautioned about patterns similar to those in Darfur, where RSF combatants have been charged with mass killings, sexual violence and abductions against specific ethnic communities.
The spiritual head on Sunday appealed for an quick cessation of hostilities and the creation of relief routes in Sudan, saying that attacks on civilians and impediments to humanitarian aid "are creating unacceptable suffering."
Sudan's diplomatic representative to Egypt on Sunday accused RSF of perpetrating war crimes in El Fasher and stated that the Sudanese government would not discuss with the paramilitary group.
The representative further called on the international community to designate the group as a terrorist organisation.