🔗 Share this article

Over 36,000 people have evacuated from Sudan's Kordofan region eastern sector of Darfur starting Saturday, as reported by the UN's migration organization.

The important central zone separating the country's Darfur regions and the Khartoum-Riverine area has in recent weeks become the recent fighting area in the two-year civil war between the Sudanese armed forces and the militia group.

Significant Exodus Figures

An estimated 36,825 people escaped five localities in North Kordofan region between 26 October and 31 October, according to the International Organization for Migration.

The civilians, mainly traveling by foot, traveled to Tawila, a town western side of El Fasher that is currently sheltering more than 652,000 refugees.

Heightened Military Presence

Citizens of North Kordofan on Monday noted a significant increase in both RSF and army concentration across urban and rural areas throughout the state.

Both armed factions are competing for control of El Obeid, the North Kordofan regional capital and a important strategic and command center that links Darfur to Khartoum.

"Today, all our forces have assembled at the Bara front here," stated an RSF member in a recently distributed video declaration.

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 considerably since the group's seizure of El Fasher.

"We stopped going to our farms, afraid of fighting," the resident stated.

Another inhabitant, who asked to remain unnamed for protection purposes, also reported that "there has been a substantial growth in army vehicles and weapons west and south of El Obeid" over the past two weeks.

International Concerns and Appeals

A senior UN official raised the alarm last week about "large-scale atrocities" and "race-driven revenge attacks" by RSF in Bara.

The official alerted to patterns similar to those in Darfur, where RSF militants have been accused of mass killings, sexual violence and abductions against certain racial groups.

The religious leader on Sunday called for an quick cessation of hostilities and the opening of humanitarian corridors in Sudan, stating that attacks on civilians and hindrances to humanitarian aid "are creating unacceptable suffering."

Sudan's ambassador to Egypt on Sunday alleged RSF of perpetrating war crimes in El Fasher and declared that the Sudanese government would not discuss with the militia organization.

The ambassador further encouraged the international community to designate the group as a terrorist group.