More than 36,000 civilians have escaped Sudan's Kordofan area east of Darfur since Saturday, according to the UN's migration agency.
The strategic central area connecting the country's Darfur regions and the capital region has during recent weeks become the recent fighting area in the 24-month civil conflict between the Sudanese armed forces and the paramilitary forces.
Substantial Evacuation Figures
An estimated 36,825 people fled five areas in North Kordofan region between 26 October and 31 October, as reported by the International Organization for Migration.
The civilians, most on foot, headed to Tawila, a town to the west of El Fasher that is currently accommodating in excess of 652,000 refugees.
Heightened Forces Deployment
Citizens of North Kordofan on Monday described a significant increase in both RSF and army deployment across communities throughout the state.
Both armed factions are contesting control of El Obeid, the North Kordofan state capital and a important strategic and command hub that joins Darfur to Khartoum.
"Today, all our forces have assembled at the Bara front here," stated an RSF member in a recently circulated video statement.
Regional Residents Describe Safety Fears
A local inhabitant of Um Smeima, located west of El Obeid, reported that the quantity of RSF vehicles had grown substantially since the group's capture of El Fasher.
"We stopped going to our farms, fearing confrontations," the resident commented.
Another civilian, who requested anonymity for protection purposes, also reported that "there has been a significant rise in army vehicles and weapons west and south of El Obeid" over the past two weeks.
International Alarms and Calls
A senior UN official expressed concerns last week about "extensive crimes" and "ethnically motivated reprisals" by RSF in Bara.
The diplomat alerted to patterns echoing those in Darfur, where RSF militants have been accused of mass killings, sexual violence and abductions against specific ethnic communities.
The religious leader on Sunday called for an quick cessation of hostilities and the establishment of relief routes in Sudan, saying that attacks on civilians and hindrances to humanitarian aid "are creating unacceptable suffering."
Sudan's official envoy to Egypt on Sunday accused RSF of carrying out war crimes in El Fasher and announced that the Sudanese government would not discuss with the militia organization.
The representative further urged the global community to categorize the group as a terrorist group.
