At least 36,000 Sudanese have escaped following takeover of El Fasher to paramilitary group, says UN agency
More than 36,000 civilians have fled Sudan's Kordofan region eastern sector of Darfur starting Saturday, as stated by the UN's migration agency.
The strategic central area between the country's Darfur provinces and the capital region has during recent weeks become the newest conflict zone in the two-year civil war between the Sudanese army and the militia group.
Massive Exodus Statistics
An calculated 36,825 people fled five areas in North Kordofan region between 26 October and 31 October, according to the International Organization for Migration.
The people, mainly traveling by foot, headed to Tawila, a town western side of El Fasher that is currently housing more than 652,000 evacuated individuals.
Escalated Troop Concentration
Local inhabitants of North Kordofan on Monday noted a heavy surge in both RSF and army presence across urban and rural areas throughout the state.
Both armed factions are contesting control of El Obeid, the North Kordofan provincial capital and a critical supply and command base that links Darfur to Khartoum.
"Today, all our forces have converged on the Bara front here," commented an RSF member in a recently circulated video message.
Local Inhabitants Describe Safety Fears
A area citizen of Um Smeima, located west of El Obeid, reported that the amount of RSF vehicles had grown significantly since the group's capture of El Fasher.
"We stopped going to our farms, concerned about confrontations," the resident explained.
Another civilian, who sought confidentiality for safety concerns, also reported that "there has been a substantial growth in army vehicles and weapons west and south of El Obeid" over the previous fortnight.
World Alarms and Appeals
A senior UN official sounded warnings last week about "extensive crimes" and "race-driven revenge attacks" by RSF in Bara.
The diplomat warned of patterns echoing those in Darfur, where RSF militants have been alleged to commit mass killings, sexual violence and abductions against specific ethnic communities.
The spiritual head on Sunday called for an immediate ceasefire and the opening of humanitarian corridors in Sudan, saying that attacks on civilians and hindrances to humanitarian aid "are creating unacceptable suffering."
Sudan's ambassador to Egypt on Sunday accused RSF of carrying out war crimes in El Fasher and declared that the Sudanese government would not engage with the paramilitary group.
The diplomat further urged the world nations to categorize the group as a terrorist group.