🔗 Share this article In excess of 60,000 Flee Sudanese City Following Takeover by RSF Paramilitary Group, United Nations Says Numerous are trying to get to the town of Tawila but experience intimidation, extortion and abuse from fighters along the way As stated by the UN refugee agency, in excess of 60,000 individuals have escaped the city in Sudan of el-Fasher, which was taken over by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces during the weekend. There have been multiple executions and atrocities as militia members took control of the city after an extended blockade characterized by famine and heavy bombardment. The flow of those escaping the conflict towards the town of Tawila, roughly 80km (50 miles) to the west of el-Fasher, had accelerated in the past few days, per UNHCR representative. Survivors were telling shocking accounts of atrocities, including rape, and the humanitarian group was finding it difficult to secure sufficient accommodation and food for them. Each child was affected by malnutrition, she added. It is estimated that in excess of 150,000 residents are currently unable to leave in el-Fasher, which had been the army's remaining bastion in the western region of Darfur. The RSF has rejected broad claims that the deaths in el-Fasher are based on ethnic factors and mirror a trend of the Arab militia groups targeting non-Arab communities. However the paramilitary group has arrested one of its fighters, Abu Lulu, who has been accused of summary executions. The force distributed footage depicting the fighter's apprehension following confirmation that he was behind the execution of multiple unarmed men near el-Fasher. Social media platform has verified that it has removed the channel connected to Lulu. The status remains unclear whether he had controlled the profile in his name. Sudan was thrown into a domestic fighting in April 2023 when a vicious struggle for power began between its army and the RSF. This has led to a starvation emergency and accusations of genocide in the western Sudan. In excess of 150,000 people have died in the conflict around the country, and approximately 12 million have left their dwellings in what the United Nations has described as the world's largest humanitarian disaster. The takeover of el-Fasher reinforces the geographic split in the country, with the RSF now in dominance of Sudan's west and a large portion of bordering 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 collaborators - taking over together in a coup in 2021 - but fell out over an globally supported plan to advance to democratic governance.