Thousands flee to overcrowded camps after RSF seizes El Fasher

Tens of thousands of Sudanese have fled to overcrowded camps to escape reported atrocities by a paramilitary force since it captured El Fasher in the western Darfur region, an aid group said on Saturday, and the UN human rights chief warned that many others are still trapped.

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Those who reach shelter in Tawila, about 70 kilometres from El Fasher, find themselves stranded in a barren area with barely enough tents, many of them improvised from patched tarps and sheets, according to a video posted by the group Sudan's IDPs and Refugee Camps.

It shows children running across the area as a few adults carry a large pot of food, hoping it will be enough to feed the growing crowds of displaced.

A military official told reporters on Saturday that the army intercepted two Chinese-made drones that targeted El Obeid on Saturday morning. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to disclose the information.

Since the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) seized El Fasher from the rival military Oct. 26, more than 16,200 people have fled to the camps in Tawila, said Adam Rojal, spokesperson for the aid group.

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) estimates that around 82,000 people had fled the city and surrounding areas as of Nov. 4, heading to safe spots including Tawila, an area already overcrowded with the displaced from previous attacks, with some making the journey on foot.