🔗 Share this article Over 36,000 Sudanese citizens have evacuated after fall of El Fasher to RSF, reports UN agency More than 36,000 civilians have fled Sudan's Kordofan region east of Darfur since Saturday, as reported by the UN's migration agency. The strategic central area between the country's Darfur provinces and the Khartoum-Riverine region has over recent weeks become the newest conflict zone in the 24-month civil conflict between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary group. Massive Exodus Statistics An estimated 36,825 people escaped five districts in North Kordofan state between 26 October and 31 October, as reported by the International Organization for Migration. The civilians, primarily walking, moved toward Tawila, a town western side of El Fasher that is currently housing in excess of 652,000 refugees. Heightened Forces Deployment Local inhabitants of North Kordofan on Monday noted a heavy surge in both RSF and army deployment across communities throughout the state. Both forces are competing for control of El Obeid, the North Kordofan regional capital and a key logistics and command center that connects Darfur to Khartoum. "Today, all our forces have converged on the Bara front here," stated an RSF member in a recently shared video message. Regional Residents Report Protection Issues A area citizen of Um Smeima, located west of El Obeid, described that the amount of RSF vehicles had increased considerably since the group's takeover of El Fasher. "We stopped going to our farms, afraid of fighting," the individual stated. Another resident, who sought confidentiality for security reasons, also confirmed 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 "race-driven revenge attacks" by RSF in Bara. The diplomat cautioned about patterns comparable to patterns in Darfur, where RSF militants have been alleged to commit mass killings, sexual violence and abductions against specific ethnic communities. The religious leader on Sunday called for an quick cessation of hostilities and the establishment 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 accused RSF of carrying out war crimes in El Fasher and stated that the Sudanese government would not negotiate with the militia organization. The diplomat further urged the global community to classify the group as a terrorist organisation.