Over 60,000 Escape Sudan's City In the wake of Takeover by RSF Militia, United Nations States

Refugees fleeing violence in the region
Many are attempting to reach the town of Tawila but experience harassment, extortion and abuse from militiamen along the way

According to the UN refugee agency, in excess of 60,000 individuals have left the Sudanese city of el-Fasher, which was seized by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces during the weekend.

Accounts suggest summary killings and atrocities as paramilitary forces took control of the city following an 18-month encirclement marked by famine and sustained attacks.

The flow of those escaping the violence towards the community of Tawila, roughly 80km (50 miles) to the west of el-Fasher, had accelerated in the last several days, according to United Nations refugee agency representative.

Refugees were telling shocking stories of violence, featuring sexual violence, and the agency was having trouble to locate enough shelter and supplies for them.

Every child was experiencing undernourishment, she commented.

Calculations indicate that in excess of 150,000 residents are currently stranded in el-Fasher, which had been the military's last bastion in the western region of Darfur.

The RSF has rejected widespread claims that the killings in el-Fasher are driven by ethnicity and mirror a pattern of the Arab militia groups attacking non-Arab communities.

However the RSF has detained one of its fighters, Abu Lulu, who has been charged with summary executions.

The group shared video revealing the militiaman's arrest after verification that he was behind the killing of numerous non-combatants near el-Fasher.

Social media platform has verified that it has suspended the account linked to Lulu. It is not clear whether he had managed the account in his name.

Sudan was thrown into a civil war in April 2023 after a brutal contest for control began between its army and the RSF.

The conflict has caused a starvation emergency and allegations of genocide in the western Darfur region.

More than 150,000 persons have been killed in the fighting throughout the country, and approximately 12 million have left their homes in what the UN has described as the world's largest humanitarian emergency.

The capture of el-Fasher solidifies the geographic split in the country, with the Rapid Support Forces now in control of the western region and significant areas of bordering Kordofan to the south, and the military occupying the main city, Khartoum, the center and east along the coastal region.

The two warring rivals had been collaborators - coming to power together in a seizure of power in 2021 - but fell out over an globally supported initiative to advance to democratic governance.

Patrick Knight
Patrick Knight

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