More than 60,000 Escape Sudan's City In the wake of Capture by Rapid Support Forces Paramilitary Group, United Nations Says
Per the United Nations refugee organization, over 60,000 people have fled the Sudanese city of el-Fasher, which was seized by the militia Rapid Support Forces recently.
Reports indicate multiple executions and human rights violations as paramilitary forces entered the city following an extended encirclement featuring famine and intense shelling.
The movement of those fleeing the violence towards the community of Tawila, about 80km (50 miles) west of el-Fasher, had increased in the recent days, according to United Nations refugee agency representative.
They were describing shocking accounts of violence, featuring rape, and the organization was struggling to secure enough housing and food for them.
All children was experiencing nutritional deficiencies, she noted.
Estimates suggest that in excess of 150,000 people are presently trapped in el-Fasher, which had been the military's last bastion in the western region of Darfur.
The RSF has denied extensive allegations that the killings in el-Fasher are driven by ethnicity and mirror a trend of the Arab fighters focusing on non-Arab populations.
Nevertheless the paramilitary group has arrested one of its members, Abu Lulu, who has been accused of extrajudicial killings.
The group shared recordings revealing the militiaman's detention subsequent to verification that he was responsible for the killing of numerous non-combatants close to el-Fasher.
Digital platform has verified that it has banned the account connected to Lulu. It is not clear whether he had controlled the profile in his name.
Sudan was entered a civil war in April 2023 following a vicious power struggle erupted between its military and the RSF.
It has resulted in a starvation emergency and accusations of genocide in the Darfur area.
Over 150,000 individuals have died in the war across the country, and roughly 12 million have left their dwellings in what the UN has called the biggest global humanitarian crisis.
The capture of el-Fasher strengthens the territorial division in the country, with the Rapid Support Forces now in dominance of western Sudan and significant areas of bordering Kordofan to the southern area, and the military controlling the capital, Khartoum, central and eastern regions along the coastal region.
The opposing sides had been partners - taking over together in a seizure of power in 2021 - but disagreed over an globally supported proposal to transition to civilian rule.
