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

According to the United Nations refugee organization, over 60,000 civilians have fled the Sudanese city of el-Fasher, which was taken over by the militia RSF during the weekend.

There have been summary killings and crimes against humanity as militia members entered the city following an year-and-a-half blockade featuring starvation and sustained attacks.

The flow of those escaping the conflict towards the town of Tawila, about 80km (50 miles) to the west of el-Fasher, had accelerated in the past few days, as stated by United Nations refugee agency representative.

Refugees were describing shocking tales of abuses, such as rape, and the agency was finding it difficult to secure adequate shelter and nourishment for them.

Each child was experiencing nutritional deficiencies, she commented.

Calculations indicate that more than 150,000 residents are presently stranded in el-Fasher, which had been the military's final bastion in the western part of Darfur.

The RSF has disputed broad accusations that the executions in el-Fasher are ethnically motivated and resemble a practice of the Arab fighters focusing on ethnic minorities.

However the RSF has detained one of its fighters, Abu Lulu, who has been charged with on-the-spot executions.

The organization shared recordings showing the fighter's detention following verification that he was behind the execution of multiple civilians near el-Fasher.

Digital platform has verified that it has banned the channel linked to Lulu. It is not clear whether he had controlled the profile in his name.

Sudan was thrown into a domestic fighting in April 2023 after a vicious contest for control began between its army and the Rapid Support Forces.

The conflict has resulted in a famine and accusations of mass killing in the western Sudan.

Over 150,000 people have died in the war throughout the country, and about 12 million have abandoned their residences in what the United Nations has described as the most extensive humanitarian disaster.

The capture of el-Fasher reinforces the geographic split in the country, with the RSF now in control of the western region and a large portion of adjacent Kordofan to the southern area, and the military occupying the main city, Khartoum, the center and east along the coastal region.

The competing factions had been partners - gaining control together in a seizure of power in 2021 - but disagreed over an globally supported initiative to transition to civilian leadership.