More than 36,000 Sudanese citizens have fled since takeover of El Fasher to paramilitary group, reports UN agency
More than 36,000 people have escaped Sudan's Kordofan area east of Darfur since Saturday, as reported by the UN's immigration body.
The strategic central area connecting the country's Darfur areas and the capital region has during recent weeks become the latest battleground in the 24-month civil conflict between the Sudanese armed forces and the paramilitary group.
Massive Evacuation Numbers
An calculated 36,825 people fled five localities in North Kordofan region between 26 October and 31 October, per data from the International Organization for Migration.
The civilians, most on foot, moved toward Tawila, a town to the west of El Fasher that is currently sheltering in excess of 652,000 refugees.
Heightened Troop Concentration
Local inhabitants of North Kordofan on Monday noted a significant increase in both RSF and army presence across communities throughout the state.
Both forces are vying for control of El Obeid, the North Kordofan state capital and a key logistics and command base that connects Darfur to Khartoum.
"Today, all our forces have gathered at the Bara front here," commented an RSF member in a recently shared video message.
Regional Inhabitants Describe Protection Issues
A local inhabitant of Um Smeima, located west of El Obeid, reported that the quantity of RSF vehicles had grown substantially since the group's capture of El Fasher.
"We discontinued traveling to our farms, fearing fighting," the local commented.
Another inhabitant, who asked to remain unnamed for protection purposes, also indicated that "there has been a big increase in army vehicles and weapons west and south of El Obeid" over the previous fortnight.
World Alarms and Calls
A senior UN official raised the alarm last week about "widespread abuses" and "ethnic-based retaliations" by RSF in Bara.
The representative alerted to patterns comparable to patterns in Darfur, where RSF militants have been alleged to commit mass killings, sexual violence and abductions against certain racial groups.
The spiritual head on Sunday called for an prompt truce and the creation of aid passageways in Sudan, declaring that attacks on civilians and hindrances to humanitarian aid "are creating unacceptable suffering."
Sudan's ambassador to Egypt on Sunday alleged RSF of carrying out war crimes in El Fasher and announced that the Sudanese government would not negotiate with the paramilitary group.
The representative further encouraged the global community to categorize the group as a terrorist entity.