More than 60,000 Run from Sudan's City After Takeover by Rapid Support Forces Paramilitary Group, United Nations Says

Displaced people escaping conflict in the region
Many seek to get to the town of Tawila but face intimidation, extortion and abuse from armed men during their journey

According to the UNHCR, in excess of 60,000 individuals have fled the Sudanese city of el-Fasher, which was seized by the paramilitary RSF recently.

There have been multiple executions and human rights violations as militia members took control of the city after an year-and-a-half blockade characterized by food shortages and intense shelling.

The exodus of those fleeing the violence towards the community of Tawila, approximately 80km (50 miles) west of el-Fasher, had grown in the recent days, according to United Nations refugee agency spokesperson.

Refugees were telling horrendous tales of violence, such as sexual violence, and the agency was struggling to secure adequate accommodation and food for them.

All children was affected by nutritional deficiencies, she added.

Calculations indicate that more than 150,000 individuals are still unable to leave in el-Fasher, which had been the military's remaining bastion in the western part of Darfur.

The Rapid Support Forces has disputed extensive accusations that the deaths in el-Fasher are based on ethnic factors and follow a pattern of the Arab militia groups targeting non-Arab populations.

However the RSF has detained one of its fighters, Abu Lulu, who has been implicated in extrajudicial killings.

The group distributed footage showing the fighter's detention subsequent to identification that he was responsible for the killing of multiple unarmed men close to el-Fasher.

Social media platform has confirmed that it has removed the profile connected to Lulu. The status remains unclear whether he had controlled the account in his name.

Sudan was thrown into a internal conflict in April 2023 following a intense contest for control erupted between its army and the Rapid Support Forces.

The conflict has caused a starvation emergency and allegations of genocide in the Darfur area.

More than 150,000 persons have lost their lives in the war throughout the country, and roughly 12 million have abandoned their residences in what the United Nations has described as the biggest global humanitarian disaster.

The takeover of el-Fasher solidifies the regional separation in the country, with the Rapid Support Forces now in control of western Sudan and much of bordering Kordofan to the south, and the army occupying the main city, Khartoum, central and eastern regions along the coastal region.

The opposing sides had been partners - coming to power together in a seizure of power in 2021 - but fell out over an globally supported plan to advance to civilian leadership.

Shelby Lamb
Shelby Lamb

Elara Vance is a space journalist and former astrophysics researcher with over a decade of experience covering space missions and technological advancements.