Over 36,000 Sudanese citizens have escaped since takeover of El Fasher to paramilitary group, reports UN agency
Over 36,000 individuals have evacuated from Sudan's Kordofan region east of Darfur starting Saturday, according to the UN's migration agency.
The strategic central area between the country's Darfur regions and the capital region has during recent weeks become the recent fighting area in the 24-month civil conflict between the Sudanese military forces and the paramilitary group.
Massive Evacuation Numbers
An calculated 36,825 people escaped five localities in North Kordofan province between 26 October and 31 October, according to the International Organization for Migration.
The people, primarily walking, traveled to Tawila, a town to the west of El Fasher that is currently sheltering over 652,000 refugees.
Heightened Forces Deployment
Local inhabitants of North Kordofan on Monday reported a heavy surge in both RSF and army presence across communities throughout the state.
Both military groups are contesting control of El Obeid, the North Kordofan regional capital and a key logistics and command hub that links Darfur to Khartoum.
"Today, all our forces have converged on the Bara front here," commented an RSF member in a recently distributed video message.
Area Citizens Describe Protection Issues
A area citizen of Um Smeima, located west of El Obeid, described that the amount of RSF vehicles had risen substantially since the group's takeover of El Fasher.
"We discontinued traveling to our farms, fearing clashes," the local stated.
Another civilian, who asked to remain unnamed for safety concerns, also indicated that "there has been a substantial growth in army vehicles and weapons west and south of El Obeid" over the last fourteen days.
World Concerns and Requests
A senior UN official sounded warnings last week about "large-scale atrocities" and "ethnically motivated reprisals" by RSF in Bara.
The representative alerted to patterns similar to those in Darfur, where RSF fighters have been accused of mass killings, sexual violence and abductions against non-Arab ethnic groups.
The religious leader on Sunday urged an quick cessation of hostilities and the opening of relief routes in Sudan, stating that attacks on civilians and impediments to humanitarian aid "are causing unacceptable suffering."
Sudan's ambassador to Egypt on Sunday accused RSF of committing war crimes in El Fasher and announced that the Sudanese government would not discuss with the paramilitary group.
The representative further called on the global community to designate the group as a terrorist group.