At least 36,000 Sudanese have fled since capture of El Fasher to RSF, reports UN agency
More than 36,000 civilians have escaped Sudan's Kordofan area east of Darfur since Saturday, as stated by the UN's migration agency.
The strategic central area between the country's Darfur areas and the Khartoum-Riverine region has during recent weeks become the recent fighting area in the two-year civil war between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary forces.
Massive Exodus Statistics
An estimated 36,825 people fled five localities in North Kordofan province between 26 October and 31 October, as reported by the International Organization for Migration.
The individuals, most on foot, traveled to Tawila, a town western side of El Fasher that is currently accommodating over 652,000 evacuated individuals.
Increased Military Presence
Residents of North Kordofan on Monday noted a heavy surge in both RSF and army concentration across communities throughout the state.
Both armed factions are vying for control of El Obeid, the North Kordofan provincial capital and a key logistics and command center that connects Darfur to Khartoum.
"Today, all our forces have assembled at the Bara front here," stated an RSF member in a recently shared video statement.
Area Residents Detail Security Concerns
A resident of Um Smeima, located west of El Obeid, stated that the number of RSF vehicles had increased substantially since the group's takeover of El Fasher.
"We ceased visiting our farms, afraid of confrontations," the local stated.
Another resident, who asked to remain unnamed for security reasons, also indicated that "there has been a significant rise in army vehicles and weapons west and south of El Obeid" over the previous fortnight.
International Warnings and Appeals
A senior UN official expressed concerns last week about "large-scale atrocities" and "race-driven revenge attacks" by RSF in Bara.
The official warned of 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 immediate ceasefire and the establishment of aid passageways in Sudan, saying that attacks on civilians and hindrances to humanitarian aid "are causing unacceptable suffering."
Sudan's ambassador to Egypt on Sunday accused RSF of carrying out war crimes in El Fasher and declared that the Sudanese government would not engage with the militia organization.
The diplomat further encouraged the international community to categorize the group as a terrorist group.
