CAIRO, July 4 (Reuters) – More than 136,000 people have fled Sudan’s southeastern Sennar state due to paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) attacks on towns, according to the United Nations. This latest wave of displacement adds to nearly 10 million people already uprooted by Sudan’s nearly 15-month war between the RSF and the regular army, which has incited accusations of “ethnic cleansing” and warnings of famine.

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On June 24, the RSF launched a campaign to seize Sennar city, a key trading hub, then turned their focus to the smaller towns of Sinjah and al-Dinder. The assaults forced many civilians to flee to neighboring al-Gedaref and Blue Nile states, often wading through the Blue Nile River.

Local activists report that the displaced face severe hardships, with inadequate shelter and food aid, exacerbated by heavy rains in Gedaref. The U.N.’s International Organization for Migration estimated 136,130 people were displaced in Sennar since June 24, many experiencing displacement multiple times.

In western Sudan, artillery fire killed at least 12 people in a livestock market in al-Fashir, intensifying a months-long conflict between the RSF, the army, and allied groups. This violence has pushed tens of thousands to flee westward to Tawila and Jebel Mara, regions controlled by a major rebel group led by Abdelwahid al-Nur. Nur has offered to secure al-Fashir with his troops if both conflicting sides withdraw, aiming to restore its role as a hub for humanitarian aid.

The army has not commented on Nur’s offer, while an RSF source has shown tentative acceptance, hoping for mutual withdrawal to enable peace and aid resumption.