Sudan's RSF said on Sunday it had taken full control of El-Fasher, the last major urban centre in western Darfur still outside its hands.
The RSF had besieged the city, capital of North Darfur state, for the past 18 months as it fights the army and allied former rebels and local fighters.
It has targeted civilians in frequent drone and artillery strikes, while the siege has led to starvation among the 250,000 people who remain in the city's west.
In a statement, the RSF claimed it had "extended control over the city of El-Fasher from the grip of mercenaries and militias", referring to the Sudanese army, which it has been fighting since April 2023.
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03:34
The claim could not be independently verified and the army and its allies did not respond to requests for comment.
Earlier, the group said it had captured the army's headquarters in the city.
Local pro-army fighters, the Popular Resistance, accused the RSF of running a "media disinformation campaign" to weaken morale, insisting residents were still "resisting in the face of terrorist militias".
Turning point
Since August, the RSF has intensified artillery and drone attacks on El-Fasher, eroding the army's last defensive lines.
Last week, the RSF said it was facilitating the exit of civilians and surrendered fighters from El-Fasher, but those who have left have reported robberies, sexual assaults and killings by RSF soldiers on the road.
RSF videos on Sunday appeared to show army vehicles retreating from its headquarters and fighters celebrating at the Sixth Infantry Division base.
Footage from Nyala, the South Darfur state capital, showed crowds celebrating alongside RSF fighters.
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12:28
If confirmed, the capture of the city would mark a major turning point in Sudan's two-year war, which has killed tens of thousands and displaced nearly 12 million people.
It would bring all five Darfur state capitals under RSF control, consolidating its recently established parallel administration in Nyala.
Analysts have warned this could effectively partition Sudan, with the army holding the north, east and centre, and the RSF dominating Darfur and parts of the south.
Humanitarian disaster
Around 260,000 civilians, half of them children, remain trapped in El-Fasher without aid or food.
Four UN agencies warned on Thursday that thousands of malnourished children are at "imminent risk of death" amid the collapse of health services.
Reports of killings, sexual violence and forced recruitment were mounting daily, they added.
The UN had earlier voiced alarm over potential massacres targeting non-Arab communities in El-Fasher, similar to those reported after the RSF captured the nearby Zamzam camp in April.
Khartoum struggles to rebuild amid devastating war damage
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01:44
Despite repeated international appeals, the two sides, who have both been accused of committing atrocities, have ignored calls for a ceasefire.
Representatives from the United States, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates met in Washington on Friday to "advance collective efforts toward peace and stability in Sudan" and a transition to civilian rule, according to US's senior advisor for Arab and African affairs Massad Boulos.
The four countries reaffirmed their support for a September peace proposal that called for a three-month truce, followed by a permanent ceasefire and civilian governance, but the meeting appeared to yield little tangible progress.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP and Reuters)
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