The unit traces its origins from the notorious Janjaweed militias, which in the 2000s helped Sudan’s Army crush a rebellion in the western region of Darfur.
Nearly 100 people were killed over the weekend in fighting between the army and paramilitary forces as the country’s two top generals vied for dominance.
The civilian death toll is climbing and concern over a broader conflict is growing as rival generals vie for control of Africa’s third-largest country.
Weeks of mounting tensions between rival military leaders have turned violent, with reports of battles at the airport, the presidential palace and many other parts of Khartoum.