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According to the UNHCR, more than 60,000 civilians have fled the city in Sudan of el-Fasher, which was seized by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces over the weekend.

Accounts suggest summary killings and atrocities as militia members took control of the city after an extended siege characterized by starvation and intense shelling.

The flow of those fleeing the conflict towards the community of Tawila, about 80km (50 miles) to the west of el-Fasher, had grown in the recent days, according to United Nations refugee agency representative.

Survivors were telling shocking stories of abuses, including sexual violence, and the agency was struggling to locate sufficient accommodation and supplies for them.

Every child was affected by nutritional deficiencies, she added.

It is estimated that more than 150,000 people are presently trapped in el-Fasher, which had been the army's last bastion in the western part of Darfur.

The RSF has denied widespread accusations that the deaths in el-Fasher are ethnically motivated and resemble a trend of the Arab paramilitaries attacking non-Arab populations.

Yet the RSF has arrested one of its militiamen, Abu Lulu, who has been charged with summary executions.

The group released footage revealing the fighter's apprehension after verification that he was responsible for the death of several civilians in the vicinity of el-Fasher.

Video sharing service has verified that it has banned the profile associated with Lulu. The status remains unclear whether he had operated the profile in his identity.

Sudan was plunged into a civil war in April 2023 following a intense struggle for power began between its army and the RSF.

This has caused a food crisis and claims of mass killing in the Darfur area.

In excess of 150,000 people have died in the fighting throughout the country, and roughly 12 million have abandoned their residences in what the United Nations has called the biggest global humanitarian emergency.

The seizure of el-Fasher strengthens the geographic split in the country, with the Rapid Support Forces now in dominance of the western region and significant areas of adjacent Kordofan to the south, and the army holding the capital, Khartoum, central and eastern areas along the coastal region.

The two warring rivals had been allies - taking over together in a takeover in 2021 - but split over an globally supported plan to transition to civilian rule.