Khartoum: Chairman of Sudan's Transitional Sovereignty Council, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, revealed that displaced civilians are undertaking arduous journeys, walking thousands of kilometers to escape attacks by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
According to Anadolu Agency, Burhan emphasized on the US social media platform X that the displaced civilians from El-Fasher, Bara, and Al-Nahud deliberately avoided regions like Nyala or Al-Fula, which are under militia control in Darfur's cities or West Kordofan. Instead, these civilians opted to travel to areas controlled by state and government forces, seeking safety and access to basic life necessities.
In recent developments, the RSF has taken control of El-Fasher, North Darfur's capital, committing what local and international organizations describe as massacres. This has raised concerns about the potential for further geographical partitioning within the country. The International Organization of Migration reports that nearly 89,000 individuals have been displaced from El-Fasher and its surrounding areas in North Darfur since last month, contributing to a total displacement figure that exceeds 10 million nationwide.
Currently, the RSF controls all five states in the Darfur region, with the exception of a few northern areas in North Darfur that remain under army control. The Sudanese army, meanwhile, retains dominance over 13 other states, including the capital, Khartoum, spanning across the south, north, east, and central regions.
The ongoing conflict, which began on April 15, 2023, between the Sudanese army and the RSF, has led to thousands of deaths and the displacement of millions. Despite efforts by regional and international mediators, a resolution to the conflict remains elusive.