🔗 Share this article More than 36,000 Sudanese citizens have escaped since takeover of El Fasher to Rapid Support Forces, says UN agency In excess of 36,000 individuals have escaped Sudan's Kordofan area east of Darfur starting Saturday, according to the UN's migration organization. The important central zone between the country's Darfur areas and the Khartoum-Riverine area has in recent weeks become the latest battleground in the two-year civil war between the Sudanese military forces and the militia group. Substantial Displacement Figures An estimated 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, mainly traveling by foot, headed to Tawila, a town to the west of El Fasher that is currently accommodating over 652,000 refugees. Escalated Troop Concentration Citizens of North Kordofan on Monday described a significant increase in both RSF and army deployment across towns and villages throughout the state. Both military groups are vying for control of El Obeid, the North Kordofan state capital and a critical supply and command hub that joins Darfur to Khartoum. "Today, all our forces have gathered at the Bara front here," said an RSF member in a recently circulated video declaration. Area Residents Describe Security Concerns A local inhabitant of Um Smeima, located west of El Obeid, reported that the quantity of RSF vehicles had risen significantly since the group's takeover of El Fasher. "We discontinued traveling to our farms, concerned about confrontations," the local commented. Another civilian, who requested anonymity for security reasons, also indicated that "there has been a substantial growth in army vehicles and weapons west and south of El Obeid" over the past two weeks. International Alarms and Requests A senior UN official expressed concerns last week about "large-scale atrocities" and "ethnically motivated reprisals" by RSF in Bara. The diplomat warned of patterns echoing those in Darfur, where RSF fighters have been alleged to commit mass killings, sexual violence and abductions against specific ethnic communities. The spiritual head on Sunday called for an immediate ceasefire and the creation of relief routes in Sudan, saying that attacks on civilians and hindrances to humanitarian aid "are creating unacceptable suffering." Sudan's diplomatic representative to Egypt on Sunday charged RSF of perpetrating war crimes in El Fasher and stated that the Sudanese government would not negotiate with the paramilitary group. The ambassador further called on the global community to classify the group as a terrorist organisation.