In excess of 60,000 Flee Sudan's City Following Capture by Rapid Support Forces Militia, UN Reports

Displaced people fleeing conflict in the region
Numerous seek to get to the town of Tawila but encounter harassment, extortion and mistreatment from fighters during their journey

Per the UNHCR, over 60,000 civilians have left the city in Sudan of el-Fasher, which was taken over by the paramilitary RSF recently.

Reports indicate multiple executions and atrocities as militia members entered the city after an year-and-a-half siege marked by food shortages and sustained attacks.

The movement of those fleeing the fighting towards the town of Tawila, roughly 80km (50 miles) to the west of el-Fasher, had accelerated in the past few days, according to United Nations refugee agency spokesperson.

Survivors were telling shocking tales of atrocities, featuring rape, and the agency was struggling to secure sufficient accommodation and nourishment for them.

All children was affected by undernourishment, she commented.

It is estimated that over 150,000 people are still trapped in el-Fasher, which had been the army's final fortress in the western part of Darfur.

The RSF has disputed broad accusations that the killings in el-Fasher are based on ethnic factors and resemble a pattern of the Arab paramilitaries focusing on non-Arab communities.

Yet the RSF has detained one of its members, Abu Lulu, who has been charged with on-the-spot executions.

The group distributed footage revealing the fighter's apprehension after confirmation that he was behind the death of numerous civilians close to el-Fasher.

Digital platform has confirmed that it has removed the account associated with Lulu. Uncertainty exists whether he had controlled the account in his name.

Sudan was thrown into a domestic fighting in April 2023 following a intense struggle for power erupted between its army and the Rapid Support Forces.

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

Over 150,000 persons have died in the conflict around the country, and roughly 12 million have fled their residences in what the UN has termed the world's largest humanitarian disaster.

The seizure of el-Fasher solidifies the geographic split in the country, with the Rapid Support Forces now in control of Sudan's west and a large portion of bordering Kordofan to the south, and the military holding the capital, Khartoum, the center and east along the Red Sea.

The opposing sides had been allies - coming to power together in a coup in 2021 - but disagreed over an internationally backed initiative to advance to civilian leadership.

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