At least 36,000 Sudanese citizens have escaped since capture of El Fasher to RSF, says UN agency
In excess of 36,000 people have escaped Sudan's Kordofan area east of Darfur since Saturday, according to the UN's immigration body.
The key central region between the country's Darfur areas and the capital region has in recent weeks become the latest battleground in the extended civil war between the Sudanese armed forces and the paramilitary forces.
Massive Exodus Statistics
An approximated 36,825 people escaped five localities in North Kordofan province between 26 October and 31 October, as reported by the International Organization for Migration.
The individuals, primarily walking, traveled to Tawila, a town west of El Fasher that is currently accommodating over 652,000 displaced people.
Escalated Military Presence
Citizens of North Kordofan on Monday described a significant increase in both RSF and army concentration across communities throughout the state.
Both military groups 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 gathered at the Bara front here," said an RSF member in a recently distributed video message.
Area Residents Describe Protection Issues
A area citizen of Um Smeima, located west of El Obeid, described that the amount of RSF vehicles had increased substantially since the group's takeover of El Fasher.
"We ceased visiting our farms, afraid of clashes," the resident stated.
Another civilian, who sought confidentiality for security reasons, also reported that "there has been a significant rise in army vehicles and weapons west and south of El Obeid" over the past two weeks.
Global Alarms and Requests
A senior UN official expressed concerns last week about "extensive crimes" and "ethnic-based retaliations" by RSF in Bara.
The representative alerted to patterns echoing those in Darfur, where RSF combatants have been alleged to commit mass killings, sexual violence and abductions against certain racial groups.
The religious leader on Sunday appealed for an prompt truce and the creation of relief routes in Sudan, stating that attacks on civilians and hindrances to humanitarian aid "are producing unacceptable suffering."
Sudan's diplomatic representative to Egypt on Sunday charged RSF of carrying out war crimes in El Fasher and stated that the Sudanese government would not engage with the militia organization.
The representative further encouraged the world nations to designate the group as a terrorist group.
