More than 6,000 people fled the Sudanese town of Kulbus and three nearby villages in West Darfur state on Monday after threats by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the UN's International Organization for Migration (IOM) said Thursday. The agency reported that its field teams estimated 6,005 people were displaced from Kulbus and the villages of Wadi Bardi, Arwa, and Adarb. Most of the displaced crossed the border into Chad, the IOM added.
Volatile Situation in Kulbus
The IOM described the situation in the area as “highly tense and volatile,” stating it continues to monitor developments closely. The displacement occurred amid fighting between the Sudanese army and allied forces on one side and the RSF on the other, before government forces later announced they had taken control of Kulbus.
In recent days, videos circulated on social media showing RSF members threatening Kulbus residents and inciting violence against them over their welcoming of the Sudanese army. On Monday, Darfur Governor Minni Arko Minnawi said the Sudanese army and allied forces had captured Kulbus after clashes with the RSF.
Governor Confirms Army Victory
“The Sudanese Armed Forces, the joint forces of the armed movements, and the popular resistance, with public support, dealt the RSF a crushing defeat in Kulbus,” Minnawi said on Facebook. Kulbus is located in Sudan’s far west, near the border with Chad, about 160 kilometers (99 miles) from El Geneina, capital of West Darfur state.
The RSF controls Sudan’s five Darfur states, except for parts of North Darfur that remain under army control, while the army controls most of the country’s other 13 states, including the capital, Khartoum.
Humanitarian Crisis Worsens
Sudan’s humanitarian crisis has worsened since fighting erupted between the army and the RSF in 2023 over disagreements on integrating the armed forces. The conflict has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced or forced about 13 million others to flee their homes.
