In excess of 60,000 Run from Sudan's City In the wake of Capture by Rapid Support Forces Paramilitary Group, UN Says

According to the UN refugee agency, over 60,000 individuals have escaped the city in Sudan of el-Fasher, which was taken over by the paramilitary RSF during the weekend.

There have been mass executions and atrocities as paramilitary forces stormed the city after an extended blockade marked by food shortages and intense shelling.

The flow of those escaping the conflict towards the community of Tawila, about 80km (50 miles) west of el-Fasher, had grown in the past few days, as stated by UNHCR spokesperson.

They were describing horrendous tales of violence, including rape, and the humanitarian group was finding it difficult to find adequate housing and nourishment for them.

Every child was suffering from malnutrition, she added.

Estimates suggest that over 150,000 people are still unable to leave in el-Fasher, which had been the army's remaining stronghold in the western region of Darfur.

The RSF has disputed widespread allegations that the executions in el-Fasher are based on ethnic factors and mirror a pattern of the Arab militia groups focusing on ethnic minorities.

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

The force shared video revealing the militiaman's apprehension subsequent to verification that he was involved in the death of multiple civilians close to el-Fasher.

Social media platform has confirmed that it has removed the profile connected to Lulu. The status remains unclear whether he had managed the profile in his name.

Sudan was plunged into a civil war in April 2023 when a intense power struggle erupted between its army and the Rapid Support Forces.

This has caused a starvation emergency and accusations of genocide in the western Darfur region.

Over 150,000 persons have been killed in the war around the country, and roughly 12 million have left their homes in what the UN has described as the world's largest humanitarian crisis.

The seizure of el-Fasher solidifies the regional separation in the country, with the Rapid Support Forces now in dominance of the western region and significant areas of adjacent Kordofan to the southern area, and the army occupying the main city, Khartoum, central and eastern areas along the coastal region.

The two warring rivals had been allies - coming to power together in a takeover in 2021 - but disagreed over an foreign-endorsed plan to transition to democratic governance.