Prosecutors at the International Criminal Court said Monday they are taking steps to preserve evidence from Sudan's Darfur region of possible war crimes carried out by a paramilitary force after it seized a key government stronghold and reportedly killed hundreds of people.

The court "is taking immediate steps regarding the alleged crimes in El-Fasher to preserve and collect relevant evidence for its use in future prosecutions," the prosecutor's office said in a statement.

The alleged atrocities "are part of a broader pattern of violence that has afflicted the entire Darfur region" and they "may constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity," the statement said.

Fighters with Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces celebrate in the streets of El-Fasher in Sudan's Darfur region

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