🔗 Share this article Over 60,000 Flee Sudan's City In the wake of Takeover by RSF Paramilitary Group, UN States Numerous seek to reach the settlement of Tawila but encounter intimidation, extortion and abuse from fighters along the way Per the UNHCR, in excess of 60,000 people have fled the Sudanese city of el-Fasher, which was taken over by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces during the weekend. Reports indicate summary killings and atrocities as militia members stormed the city following an year-and-a-half blockade featuring food shortages and sustained attacks. The movement of those escaping the fighting towards the community of Tawila, approximately 80km (50 miles) to the west of el-Fasher, had accelerated in the past few days, according to United Nations refugee agency spokesperson. Refugees were describing shocking stories of violence, such as rape, and the organization was having trouble to find adequate shelter and food for them. All children was experiencing nutritional deficiencies, she commented. Estimates suggest that in excess of 150,000 people are currently trapped in el-Fasher, which had been the army's final bastion in the western part of Darfur. The Rapid Support Forces has rejected broad accusations that the killings in el-Fasher are ethnically motivated and mirror a practice of the Arab paramilitaries targeting ethnic minorities. Yet the RSF has arrested one of its fighters, Abu Lulu, who has been charged with summary executions. The group distributed recordings depicting the member's apprehension after identification that he was behind the death of numerous unarmed men in the vicinity of el-Fasher. Social media platform has verified that it has banned the channel associated with Lulu. Uncertainty exists whether he had controlled the account in his identity. Sudan was thrown into a civil war in April 2023 following a brutal contest for control erupted between its military and the RSF. The conflict has caused a starvation emergency and claims of mass killing in the Darfur area. In excess of 150,000 individuals have been killed in the war around the country, and approximately 12 million have left their dwellings in what the United Nations has termed the most extensive humanitarian disaster. The seizure of el-Fasher reinforces the regional separation in the country, with the RSF now in command of western Sudan and significant areas of neighbouring Kordofan to the south, and the military controlling the main city, Khartoum, the center and east 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 plan to move towards civilian rule.