More than 60,000 Escape Sudanese City In the wake of Seizure by RSF Militia, UN Says

Refugees fleeing violence in the region
Numerous seek to get to the settlement of Tawila but encounter intimidation, demands for money and mistreatment from armed men during their journey

As stated by the UNHCR, over 60,000 civilians have left the Sudanese city of el-Fasher, which was taken over by the militia RSF during the weekend.

Accounts suggest mass executions and crimes against humanity as paramilitary forces took control of the city after an year-and-a-half blockade characterized by food shortages and sustained attacks.

The exodus of those fleeing the violence towards the town of Tawila, about 80km (50 miles) to the west of el-Fasher, had grown in the last several days, per United Nations refugee agency spokesperson.

They were telling terrible stories of abuses, featuring sexual violence, and the agency was finding it difficult to secure sufficient housing and supplies for them.

Every child was experiencing nutritional deficiencies, she noted.

Calculations indicate that over 150,000 people are presently unable to leave in el-Fasher, which had been the army's remaining bastion in the western part of Darfur.

The RSF has disputed extensive accusations that the deaths in el-Fasher are ethnically motivated and follow a practice of the Arab fighters attacking ethnic minorities.

Nevertheless the paramilitary group has arrested one of its members, Abu Lulu, who has been implicated in on-the-spot executions.

The organization distributed recordings showing the fighter's arrest following confirmation that he was involved in the death of numerous non-combatants in the vicinity of el-Fasher.

Digital platform has acknowledged that it has suspended the profile connected to Lulu. It is not clear whether he had controlled the account in his name.

Sudan was entered a civil war in April 2023 following a vicious power struggle broke out between its military and the Rapid Support Forces.

The conflict has resulted in a food crisis and allegations of ethnic cleansing in the Darfur area.

More than 150,000 people have been killed in the fighting throughout the country, and approximately 12 million have abandoned their dwellings in what the UN has described as the most extensive humanitarian disaster.

The seizure of el-Fasher solidifies the territorial division in the country, with the Rapid Support Forces now in dominance of Sudan's west and significant areas of neighbouring Kordofan to the southern area, and the military holding the main city, Khartoum, the center and east along the coastal region.

The two warring rivals had been allies - gaining control together in a takeover in 2021 - but disagreed over an foreign-endorsed proposal to transition to civilian rule.

Charles Shields
Charles Shields

A software engineer and retro computing enthusiast with over 15 years of experience restoring vintage computers and documenting tech history.