More than 60,000 Flee Sudanese City After Seizure by Rapid Support Forces Militia, UN Reports
Per the UN refugee agency, over 60,000 people have left the Sudanese city of el-Fasher, which was seized by the militia RSF during the weekend.
There have been multiple executions and crimes against humanity as militia members entered the city after an year-and-a-half encirclement marked by food shortages and heavy bombardment.
The flow of those running from the fighting towards the town of Tawila, approximately 80km (50 miles) to the west of el-Fasher, had accelerated in the past few days, per United Nations refugee agency spokesperson.
Refugees were telling terrible tales of violence, including sexual violence, and the organization was finding it difficult to secure adequate shelter and supplies for them.
All children was suffering from undernourishment, she noted.
Calculations indicate that in excess of 150,000 people are presently unable to leave in el-Fasher, which had been the military's last bastion in the western region of Darfur.
The Rapid Support Forces has denied extensive claims that the deaths in el-Fasher are ethnically motivated and follow a pattern of the Arab paramilitaries focusing on non-Arab communities.
Nevertheless the paramilitary group has arrested one of its militiamen, Abu Lulu, who has been implicated in summary executions.
The force released footage revealing the fighter's detention following confirmation that he was involved in the death of numerous non-combatants near el-Fasher.
Social media platform has acknowledged that it has suspended the profile associated with Lulu. Uncertainty exists whether he had controlled the profile in his identity.
Sudan was plunged into a domestic fighting in April 2023 following a vicious contest for control erupted between its army and the RSF.
The conflict has resulted in a food crisis and claims of mass killing in the western Darfur region.
Over 150,000 persons have lost their lives in the fighting throughout the country, and roughly 12 million have fled their dwellings in what the UN has described as the world's largest humanitarian disaster.
The capture of el-Fasher strengthens the regional separation in the country, with the RSF now in dominance of Sudan's west and significant areas of bordering Kordofan to the south, and the army occupying the capital, Khartoum, the center and east along the coastal region.
The two warring rivals had been allies - coming to power together in a seizure of power in 2021 - but disagreed over an internationally backed proposal to move towards civilian rule.