More than 36,000 Sudanese have fled since fall of El Fasher to paramilitary group, reports UN agency
More than 36,000 civilians have escaped Sudan's Kordofan area eastern part of Darfur starting Saturday, as stated by the UN's migration organization.
The key central region separating the country's Darfur provinces and the capital region has in recent weeks become the latest battleground in the extended civil war between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary forces.
Substantial Displacement Numbers
An approximated 36,825 people evacuated from five localities in North Kordofan region between 26 October and 31 October, as reported by the International Organization for Migration.
The civilians, most on foot, headed to Tawila, a town to the west of El Fasher that is currently housing in excess of 652,000 refugees.
Increased Forces Deployment
Citizens of North Kordofan on Monday reported a heavy surge in both RSF and army deployment across towns and villages throughout the state.
Both forces are competing for control of El Obeid, the North Kordofan provincial capital and a key logistics and command hub that connects Darfur to Khartoum.
"Today, all our forces have assembled at the Bara front here," commented an RSF member in a recently shared video message.
Area Inhabitants Report Protection Issues
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 capture of El Fasher.
"We stopped going to our farms, fearing clashes," the resident stated.
Another inhabitant, who sought confidentiality for protection purposes, also indicated that "there has been a significant rise in army vehicles and weapons west and south of El Obeid" over the previous fortnight.
Global Alarms and Appeals
A senior UN official raised the alarm last week about "large-scale atrocities" and "race-driven revenge attacks" by RSF in Bara.
The representative cautioned about patterns comparable to patterns in Darfur, where RSF fighters have been accused of mass killings, sexual violence and abductions against certain racial groups.
The spiritual head on Sunday appealed for an quick cessation of hostilities and the opening of aid passageways in Sudan, saying that attacks on civilians and impediments to humanitarian aid "are creating unacceptable suffering."
Sudan's ambassador to Egypt on Sunday alleged RSF of committing war crimes in El Fasher and declared that the Sudanese government would not engage with the militia organization.
The ambassador further called on the world nations to classify the group as a terrorist group.