In excess of 60,000 Escape Sudan's City Following Capture by RSF Paramilitary Group, UN States

According to the United Nations refugee organization, in excess of 60,000 civilians have escaped the Sudanese city of el-Fasher, which was taken over by the militia Rapid Support Forces during the weekend.

There have been summary killings and atrocities as militia members stormed the city after an 18-month encirclement characterized by famine and sustained attacks.

The movement of those running from the conflict towards the town of Tawila, about 80km (50 miles) west of el-Fasher, had grown in the last several days, according to United Nations refugee agency spokesperson.

They were describing shocking tales of abuses, including rape, and the organization was having trouble to locate adequate housing and nourishment for them.

All children was affected by malnutrition, she commented.

Estimates suggest that over 150,000 people are currently unable to leave in el-Fasher, which had been the army's last bastion in the western part of Darfur.

The Rapid Support Forces has rejected broad accusations that the killings in el-Fasher are based on ethnic factors and mirror a practice of the Arab militia groups attacking non-Arab populations.

Nevertheless the RSF has arrested one of its militiamen, Abu Lulu, who has been charged with extrajudicial killings.

The group shared video depicting the militiaman's arrest following identification that he was responsible for the killing of multiple unarmed men in the vicinity of el-Fasher.

Video sharing service has confirmed that it has banned the profile linked to Lulu. It is not clear whether he had managed the profile in his name.

Sudan was plunged into a domestic fighting in April 2023 following a brutal power struggle began between its army and the RSF.

It has led to a famine and allegations of ethnic cleansing in the western Darfur region.

In excess of 150,000 individuals have lost their lives in the war around the country, and approximately 12 million have fled their homes in what the United Nations has called the most extensive humanitarian crisis.

The capture of el-Fasher reinforces the territorial division in the country, with the Rapid Support Forces now in control of western Sudan and significant areas of bordering Kordofan to the southern area, and the army controlling the capital, Khartoum, central and eastern areas along the Red Sea.

The opposing sides had been collaborators - taking over together in a takeover in 2021 - but split over an foreign-endorsed proposal to transition to civilian leadership.