Exodus reported from West Kordofan capital
People inspect the area west of Muglad that was hit by air strikes the night before, January 22 (Photo: Social media)
People living in El Fula, capital of West Kordofan, continue to flee their homes for fear of an attack by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on the city.
“There are rumours circulating that the RSF will attack the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) garrison of El Fula and take control of the area,” a resident of the city told Radio Dabanga yesterday.
“The security situation is very unstable in most areas of West Kordofan,” he explained. “Almost all localities have seen fighting between the SAF and the RSF these days, and now the people fear the battles will reach the capital.”
El Fula is hosting many displaced from several towns and villages in West Kordofan. The source pointed to efforts by civil society organisations and the Sudanese Red Crescent to provide services to displaced people in shelters in the city.
In end October, the RSF briefly occupied the Balila oilfield and airport in West Kordofan.
Babanousa witnessed RSF-SAF fighting for weeks in December. The battles continued the following month. “The RSF is still besieging the SAF 22nd Infantry Division in the town,” residents of Babanousa in West Kordofan told Radio Dabanga in end January.
Sudan War Monitor on January 12 reported that the RSF exerted de facto control over much of the state, while the army remained in control of Babanousa, El Fula, and some oil areas. “Ethnically dominated by the Misseriya Arab tribe, West Kordofan has remained relatively conflict-free compared to other states,” the news outlet stated.
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