In excess of 60,000 Escape Sudan's City After Capture by Rapid Support Forces Militia, United Nations States
As stated by the United Nations refugee organization, in excess of 60,000 civilians have fled the city in Sudan of el-Fasher, which was seized by the militia Rapid Support Forces over the weekend.
Reports indicate mass executions and atrocities as militia members took control of the city following an extended blockade featuring starvation and intense shelling.
The flow of those running from the violence towards the town of Tawila, approximately 80km (50 miles) west of el-Fasher, had grown in the past few days, according to United Nations refugee agency spokesperson.
Survivors were narrating shocking stories of atrocities, including sexual violence, and the humanitarian group was finding it difficult to secure enough housing and food for them.
Each child was affected by undernourishment, she added.
Estimates suggest that over 150,000 residents are still stranded in el-Fasher, which had been the army's last fortress in the western part of Darfur.
The Rapid Support Forces has disputed broad allegations that the executions in el-Fasher are driven by ethnicity and follow a pattern of the Arab fighters focusing on non-Arab populations.
Yet the RSF has arrested one of its fighters, Abu Lulu, who has been implicated in summary executions.
The force released footage revealing the member's detention subsequent to identification that he was behind the death of multiple civilians close to el-Fasher.
Social media platform has acknowledged that it has suspended the account linked to Lulu. The status remains unclear whether he had operated the account in his name.
Sudan was entered a internal conflict in April 2023 when a brutal struggle for power erupted between its military and the Rapid Support Forces.
It has resulted in a food crisis and accusations of genocide in the Darfur area.
In excess of 150,000 people have been killed in the war around the country, and roughly 12 million have abandoned their homes in what the UN has termed the biggest global humanitarian crisis.
The capture of el-Fasher strengthens the geographic split in the country, with the RSF now in command of western Sudan and a large portion of adjacent Kordofan to the south, and the military holding the capital, Khartoum, the center and east along the coastal region.
The opposing sides had been allies - coming to power together in a takeover in 2021 - but disagreed over an foreign-endorsed initiative to move towards civilian rule.
