Tens of Thousands Flee Sudan's Kordofan Region Amid Escalating Fighting
Since El Fasher, the strategic city in Darfur region, was captured by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) last week, over 36,000 people have fled to safety. The displacement numbers, which span across five localities in North Kordofan state, is a staggering indicator of the escalating conflict.
According to the International Organization for Migration, the displaced individuals mostly traveled on foot, with many seeking refuge in Tawila, a town west of El Fasher that already hosts more than 650,000 displaced people. The humanitarian crisis deepens as the situation in Sudan remains dire.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) president, Mirjana Spoljaric, described the situation as "horrific," warning of patterns reminiscent of the Darfur genocide that occurred over two decades ago. In the 2000s, an estimated 200,000 people lost their lives in Darfur due to ethnic violence orchestrated by Arab Janjaweed militias affiliated with Omar al-Bashir's regime.
The RSF has been accused of perpetuating mass killings, sexual violence, and abductions against non-Arab ethnic groups. Prosecutors at the International Criminal Court are investigating alleged crimes committed during the capture of El Fasher. Witnesses report that RSF fighters conducted house-to-house searches, killing civilians and committing sexual assaults.
The International Organization for Migration has detected famine in El Fasher and Kadugli in South Kordofan. Twenty other areas across Darfur and Kordofan are also at risk of famine.
The fighting has escalated as both the Sudanese armed forces (SAF) and RSF vie for control of strategic locations, including the North Kordofan state capital, El Obeid. The region's fertile agricultural land is a crucial hub connecting Darfur to Khartoum and boasting an airport.
Residents in Um Smeima and El Obeid have reported a surge in RSF vehicles since their capture of El Fasher. Many residents have fled their homes due to fear of clashes, highlighting the dire humanitarian situation on the ground.
Martha Pobee, the UN's assistant secretary general for Africa, has warned about "large-scale atrocities" and "ethnically motivated reprisals" by RSF in Bara. The fighting has created one of the worst humanitarian crises of the 21st century, with over 150,000 people killed and more than 14 million displaced.
As the situation continues to deteriorate, Pope Leo called for an immediate ceasefire and the opening of humanitarian corridors in Sudan during his weekly Angelus address. The world's attention is now focused on the unfolding crisis in Sudan, as leaders from various countries urge calm and action to mitigate the escalating violence.
Since El Fasher, the strategic city in Darfur region, was captured by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) last week, over 36,000 people have fled to safety. The displacement numbers, which span across five localities in North Kordofan state, is a staggering indicator of the escalating conflict.
According to the International Organization for Migration, the displaced individuals mostly traveled on foot, with many seeking refuge in Tawila, a town west of El Fasher that already hosts more than 650,000 displaced people. The humanitarian crisis deepens as the situation in Sudan remains dire.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) president, Mirjana Spoljaric, described the situation as "horrific," warning of patterns reminiscent of the Darfur genocide that occurred over two decades ago. In the 2000s, an estimated 200,000 people lost their lives in Darfur due to ethnic violence orchestrated by Arab Janjaweed militias affiliated with Omar al-Bashir's regime.
The RSF has been accused of perpetuating mass killings, sexual violence, and abductions against non-Arab ethnic groups. Prosecutors at the International Criminal Court are investigating alleged crimes committed during the capture of El Fasher. Witnesses report that RSF fighters conducted house-to-house searches, killing civilians and committing sexual assaults.
The International Organization for Migration has detected famine in El Fasher and Kadugli in South Kordofan. Twenty other areas across Darfur and Kordofan are also at risk of famine.
The fighting has escalated as both the Sudanese armed forces (SAF) and RSF vie for control of strategic locations, including the North Kordofan state capital, El Obeid. The region's fertile agricultural land is a crucial hub connecting Darfur to Khartoum and boasting an airport.
Residents in Um Smeima and El Obeid have reported a surge in RSF vehicles since their capture of El Fasher. Many residents have fled their homes due to fear of clashes, highlighting the dire humanitarian situation on the ground.
Martha Pobee, the UN's assistant secretary general for Africa, has warned about "large-scale atrocities" and "ethnically motivated reprisals" by RSF in Bara. The fighting has created one of the worst humanitarian crises of the 21st century, with over 150,000 people killed and more than 14 million displaced.
As the situation continues to deteriorate, Pope Leo called for an immediate ceasefire and the opening of humanitarian corridors in Sudan during his weekly Angelus address. The world's attention is now focused on the unfolding crisis in Sudan, as leaders from various countries urge calm and action to mitigate the escalating violence.
this is just getting worse by the day... 36k people just fled their homes already? that's crazy. and it's not just the number of displaced ppl, it's the fact that they're mostly walking on foot with no aid in sight. ICRC is right, this is a horrific situation and we need to do something about it ASAP 
. I remember when Darfur was going on back in the 2000s, 200k ppl lost their lives... it's like history is repeating itself. what's going on with these RSF fighters? they're being accused of all sorts of atrocities, including mass killings and sexual violence. 
we need to hold them accountable for their actions. famine is also a huge concern now, with 20 areas at risk in Darfur and Kordofan... this is just devastating 
.
36k people fleeing from kordofan region in just one week... what's happening over there? 
famine everywhere too... how can this be allowed to happen? 
shouldnt there be a way to stop it? 
this is so sad what's happening in sudan like 36k people just running away from their homes because of fighting 
it's not fair at all those innocent ppl are suffering 
i feel bad for them & especially for the ppl living in um smeima & el obeid 
they're literally living with fear of clashes 
& the ICRC president saying it's horrific 
these ppl need food, water, shelter... basic human needs 
we should really be doing more to help them 
and what's with the rsf doing all these atrocities? it feels like they're not even human beings anymore 
I mean 36k people fleeing their homes on foot because of fighting is just insane 
can't even imagine how scary it must be for them. The ICRC president's warning about patterns similar to the Darfur genocide is so chilling 
the darfur genocide was 20+ years ago and we're still seeing patterns of ethnic violence and mass killings in sudan today it's just heartbreaking
we need to see more concrete actions from leaders around the world to address the root causes of this conflict and prevent further suffering