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As stated by the UNHCR, in excess of 60,000 individuals have escaped the Sudanese city of el-Fasher, which was seized by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces over the weekend.

Reports indicate mass executions and human rights violations as paramilitary forces took control of the city following an extended encirclement featuring food shortages and intense shelling.

The flow of those escaping the fighting towards the town of Tawila, approximately 80km (50 miles) to the west of el-Fasher, had accelerated in the past few days, per United Nations refugee agency spokesperson.

Refugees were describing shocking tales of atrocities, featuring rape, and the agency was having trouble to locate sufficient shelter and nourishment for them.

All children was experiencing nutritional deficiencies, she commented.

It is estimated that more than 150,000 people are still unable to leave in el-Fasher, which had been the army's last bastion in the western region of Darfur.

The Rapid Support Forces has denied widespread allegations that the deaths in el-Fasher are driven by ethnicity and mirror a trend of the Arab paramilitaries focusing on ethnic minorities.

Nevertheless the RSF has detained one of its fighters, Abu Lulu, who has been accused of summary executions.

The group distributed recordings depicting the militiaman's apprehension after verification that he was involved in the execution of several civilians close to el-Fasher.

Video sharing service has confirmed that it has suspended the account associated with Lulu. Uncertainty exists whether he had managed the account in his name.

Sudan was thrown into a civil war in April 2023 following a vicious power struggle began between its military and the RSF.

This has led to a famine and accusations of mass killing in the western Sudan.

In excess of 150,000 persons have lost their lives in the fighting around the country, and about 12 million have left their residences in what the UN has called the world's largest humanitarian crisis.

The capture of el-Fasher reinforces the territorial division in the country, with the RSF now in control of Sudan's west and a large portion of adjacent Kordofan to the south, and the military controlling the capital, Khartoum, central and eastern regions along the Red Sea.

The competing factions had been allies - gaining control together in a coup in 2021 - but split over an foreign-endorsed initiative to transition to civilian leadership.