Over 36,000 Sudanese people have escaped following capture of El Fasher to RSF, reports UN agency
More than 36,000 civilians have fled Sudan's Kordofan area eastern part of Darfur starting Saturday, as stated by the UN's immigration body.
The key central region between the country's Darfur areas and the Khartoum-Riverine region has over recent weeks become the newest conflict zone in the two-year civil war between the Sudanese military forces and the paramilitary forces.
Massive Displacement Statistics
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, mainly traveling by foot, traveled to Tawila, a town to the west of El Fasher that is currently sheltering more than 652,000 displaced people.
Escalated Forces Deployment
Residents of North Kordofan on Monday noted a significant increase in both RSF and army deployment across urban and rural areas throughout the state.
Both armed factions are competing for control of El Obeid, the North Kordofan provincial capital and a important strategic and command center that links Darfur to Khartoum.
"Today, all our forces have gathered at the Bara front here," said an RSF member in a recently circulated video message.
Area Citizens Describe Safety Fears
A resident of Um Smeima, located west of El Obeid, described that the quantity of RSF vehicles had increased considerably since the group's takeover of El Fasher.
"We stopped going to our farms, fearing fighting," the local commented.
Another inhabitant, who requested anonymity for security reasons, also indicated that "there has been a substantial growth in army vehicles and weapons west and south of El Obeid" over the last fourteen days.
International Alarms and Calls
A senior UN official sounded warnings last week about "large-scale atrocities" and "race-driven revenge attacks" by RSF in Bara.
The diplomat cautioned about patterns echoing those in Darfur, where RSF militants have been accused of mass killings, sexual violence and abductions against non-Arab ethnic groups.
The church leader on Sunday urged an prompt truce and the establishment of relief routes in Sudan, stating that attacks on civilians and hindrances to humanitarian aid "are creating unacceptable suffering."
Sudan's official envoy to Egypt on Sunday charged 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 global community to designate the group as a terrorist group.