In excess of 60,000 Flee Sudanese City Following Capture by Rapid Support Forces Paramilitary Group, UN Says
As stated by the UN refugee agency, over 60,000 individuals have escaped the city in Sudan of el-Fasher, which was seized by the militia Rapid Support Forces during the weekend.
Reports indicate multiple executions and crimes against humanity as militia members entered the city after an extended siege marked by food shortages and heavy bombardment.
The exodus of those running from the violence towards the community of Tawila, about 80km (50 miles) west of el-Fasher, had accelerated in the past few days, per UNHCR representative.
Survivors were describing shocking tales of violence, featuring rape, and the humanitarian group was finding it difficult to find sufficient shelter and food for them.
All children was suffering from undernourishment, she added.
Estimates suggest that more than 150,000 residents are still stranded in el-Fasher, which had been the army's remaining bastion in the western part of Darfur.
The Rapid Support Forces has denied widespread allegations that the executions in el-Fasher are based on ethnic factors and follow a trend of the Arab fighters attacking non-Arab communities.
However the RSF has detained one of its fighters, Abu Lulu, who has been implicated in extrajudicial killings.
The force shared video showing the militiaman's apprehension after verification that he was behind the death of multiple civilians in the vicinity of el-Fasher.
Digital platform has acknowledged that it has removed the channel linked to Lulu. Uncertainty exists whether he had operated the account in his name.
Sudan was plunged into a internal conflict in April 2023 after a vicious contest for control broke out between its army and the RSF.
This has caused a starvation emergency and allegations of ethnic cleansing in the western Darfur region.
In excess of 150,000 individuals have died in the conflict throughout the country, and roughly 12 million have abandoned their residences in what the United Nations has termed the biggest global humanitarian emergency.
The seizure of el-Fasher solidifies the geographic split 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 army controlling the capital, Khartoum, central and eastern regions along the coastal region.
The two warring rivals had been partners - taking over together in a seizure of power in 2021 - but disagreed over an foreign-endorsed plan to move towards democratic governance.