Sudan paramilitary chief resigns after special forces clash in capital

Defector claims up to 150 killed, many bodies dumped in Nile

General Rapid Support Forces dismisses claims as 'false and misleading'

Sudan's paramilitary chief has resigned after special forces under his command clashed with other security forces in the capital, Khartoum.

General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, also known as Hemeti, stepped down as head of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on Monday, state media reported.

The move came after days of fighting between the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) in Al Jazirah state, south of Khartoum.

A defector from the RSF claimed that up to 150 people were killed in the clashes, with many bodies dumped in the Nile River.

The RSF has dismissed the claims as "false and misleading".

The clashes began on Thursday after a group of RSF soldiers defected and seized a military base in Al Jazirah.

The SAF was deployed to retake the base, and the two sides clashed for several days.

The fighting has raised concerns about the stability of Sudan, which is already struggling with a political and economic crisis.

The RSF is a paramilitary force that was created in 2013 to fight rebels in the Darfur region.

The force has been accused of human rights abuses, including arbitrary detention, torture, and extrajudicial killings.

Hemeti is a former commander of the Janjaweed militia, which was responsible for atrocities in Darfur.

He is a close ally of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The resignation of Hemeti as head of the RSF is a significant development in Sudan.

It is unclear what the future holds for the force, or for Sudan as a whole.