At least 36,000 Sudanese have fled since capture of El Fasher to RSF, says UN agency
In excess of 36,000 civilians have fled Sudan's Kordofan area eastern sector of Darfur since Saturday, as stated by the UN's migration agency.
The important central zone between the country's Darfur provinces and the Khartoum-Riverine area has during recent weeks become the newest conflict zone in the extended civil war between the Sudanese military forces and the paramilitary group.
Substantial Displacement Figures
An estimated 36,825 people evacuated from five localities in North Kordofan province between 26 October and 31 October, per data from the International Organization for Migration.
The individuals, primarily walking, moved toward Tawila, a town west of El Fasher that is currently sheltering more than 652,000 refugees.
Escalated Military Presence
Residents of North Kordofan on Monday reported a heavy surge in both RSF and army concentration across towns and villages throughout the state.
Both armed factions are competing for control of El Obeid, the North Kordofan state capital and a important strategic and command center that joins Darfur to Khartoum.
"Today, all our forces have gathered at the Bara front here," commented an RSF member in a recently circulated video message.
Local Inhabitants Describe Security Concerns
A local inhabitant of Um Smeima, located west of El Obeid, described that the quantity of RSF vehicles had increased substantially since the group's takeover of El Fasher.
"We stopped going to our farms, fearing confrontations," the resident stated.
Another resident, who sought confidentiality for security reasons, also confirmed that "there has been a substantial growth in army vehicles and weapons west and south of El Obeid" over the previous fortnight.
International Warnings and Requests
A senior UN official expressed concerns last week about "large-scale atrocities" and "ethnic-based retaliations" by RSF in Bara.
The official cautioned about patterns echoing those in Darfur, where RSF fighters have been accused of mass killings, sexual violence and abductions against certain racial groups.
The church leader on Sunday called for an prompt truce and the creation of aid passageways in Sudan, declaring that attacks on civilians and obstacles to humanitarian aid "are causing unacceptable suffering."
Sudan's diplomatic representative to Egypt on Sunday accused RSF of committing war crimes in El Fasher and stated that the Sudanese government would not discuss with the paramilitary group.
The ambassador further encouraged the global community to classify the group as a terrorist group.
