El Fasher, October 28 (Darfur24)
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported on Tuesday that more than 26,000 people have fled El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur State, following the Rapid Support Forces’ (RSF) takeover of the city.
The RSF seized the headquarters of the 6th Infantry Division on Saturday after 18 months of fighting with the Sudanese army, leaving large parts of the city in ruins.
In a statement obtained by Darfur24, the IOM said that approximately 26,030 people were displaced between October 26 and 27, noting that the figure includes around 3,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) previously reported on October 26.
According to the statement, most of the displaced fled to rural areas within El Fasher locality, while others reached Tawila locality in North Darfur. Additional movements are expected towards the Mellit locality in the coming days.
IOM teams reported high levels of insecurity on the main roads leading out of El Fasher, describing the situation as “extremely tense and unstable,” with continuing displacement and humanitarian needs.
On Monday, Sovereignty Council Chairman and Army Commander Abdel Fattah al-Burhan said he had approved the army’s withdrawal from El Fasher to protect civilians and prevent further destruction of the city.