More than 60,000 Flee Sudanese City Following Takeover by Rapid Support Forces Paramilitary Group, United Nations Says

Displaced people escaping conflict in the region
Numerous are attempting to reach the town of Tawila but encounter harassment, demands for money and mistreatment from fighters along the way

According to the UNHCR, over 60,000 civilians have fled the city in Sudan of el-Fasher, which was seized by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces over the weekend.

There have been mass executions and human rights violations as paramilitary forces stormed the city following an year-and-a-half encirclement characterized by food shortages and sustained attacks.

The exodus of those fleeing the conflict towards the community of Tawila, about 80km (50 miles) west of el-Fasher, had increased in the last several days, as stated by United Nations refugee agency spokesperson.

Refugees were telling shocking stories of atrocities, featuring sexual violence, and the agency was having trouble to find sufficient accommodation and food for them.

All children was suffering from undernourishment, she commented.

It is estimated that more than 150,000 individuals are currently unable to leave in el-Fasher, which had been the army's last bastion in the western part of Darfur.

The Rapid Support Forces has disputed extensive claims that the killings in el-Fasher are driven by ethnicity and resemble a pattern of the Arab fighters attacking ethnic minorities.

However the paramilitary group has detained one of its militiamen, Abu Lulu, who has been charged with on-the-spot executions.

The organization shared recordings depicting the militiaman's apprehension following identification that he was involved in the killing of numerous non-combatants in the vicinity of el-Fasher.

Video sharing service has confirmed that it has banned the profile connected to Lulu. It is not clear whether he had managed the account in his name.

Sudan was entered a civil war in April 2023 when a intense power struggle erupted between its army and the Rapid Support Forces.

This has caused a famine and allegations of ethnic cleansing in the Darfur area.

In excess of 150,000 persons have been killed in the fighting across the country, and roughly 12 million have left their homes in what the UN has described as the world's largest humanitarian emergency.

The capture of el-Fasher reinforces the territorial division in the country, with the RSF now in dominance of western Sudan and significant areas of neighbouring Kordofan to the southern area, and the military occupying the main city, Khartoum, central and eastern regions along the Red Sea.

The competing factions had been allies - coming to power together in a takeover in 2021 - but disagreed over an foreign-endorsed proposal to move towards civilian rule.

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