Over 60,000 Run from Sudan's City Following Capture by Rapid Support Forces Paramilitary Group, UN States

Refugees escaping violence in the region
Many are attempting to reach the town of Tawila but encounter intimidation, demands for money and abuse from militiamen along the way

According to the UN refugee agency, over 60,000 people have left the Sudanese city of el-Fasher, which was captured by the paramilitary RSF over the weekend.

There have been summary killings and human rights violations as militia members entered the city after an year-and-a-half siege featuring starvation and sustained attacks.

The exodus of those fleeing the conflict towards the community of Tawila, roughly 80km (50 miles) to the west of el-Fasher, had accelerated in the last several days, per UNHCR representative.

Survivors were describing shocking stories of abuses, featuring rape, and the agency was having trouble to secure adequate shelter and nourishment for them.

Every child was affected by undernourishment, she noted.

Estimates suggest that in excess of 150,000 people are still trapped in el-Fasher, which had been the military's last fortress in the western part of Darfur.

The RSF has disputed widespread claims that the killings in el-Fasher are ethnically motivated and resemble a trend of the Arab fighters targeting ethnic minorities.

However the paramilitary group has detained one of its fighters, Abu Lulu, who has been accused of on-the-spot executions.

The group shared video depicting the member's detention subsequent to verification that he was responsible for the execution of multiple unarmed men in the vicinity of el-Fasher.

Video sharing service has verified that it has banned the channel connected to Lulu. Uncertainty exists whether he had managed the account in his identity.

Sudan was entered a internal conflict in April 2023 after a vicious contest for control erupted between its military and the Rapid Support Forces.

This has resulted in a starvation emergency and claims of ethnic cleansing in the Darfur area.

More than 150,000 persons have died in the war throughout the country, and roughly 12 million have fled their homes in what the United Nations has described as the most extensive humanitarian emergency.

The seizure of el-Fasher strengthens the regional separation in the country, with the Rapid Support Forces now in control of Sudan's west and much of bordering Kordofan to the south, and the army occupying the capital, Khartoum, the center and east along the coastal region.

The opposing sides had been allies - gaining control together in a seizure of power in 2021 - but disagreed over an internationally backed initiative to advance to civilian rule.

Emily Hernandez DVM
Emily Hernandez DVM

A seasoned angler with over 15 years of experience in freshwater and saltwater fishing, sharing insights on gear and techniques.

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