Hundreds of civilians are suspected to have been tortured after being captured by Shia militiamen advancing towards the Isil-held city of Fallujah in central Iraq, with reports of “broken” corpses being discovered by local authorities.

Local officials confirmed the militia had captured around 600 people during fighting in the nearby town of Saqlawiya, along with dozens more who had been separated from their families as they fled the area.

A member of Anbar’s provincial council, Sheikh Raja al-Issawi, said the men had been taken to the al-Mazraa army base on Sunday night, where they appeared to have been severely tortured by Shia militias involved in the battle to retake Fallujah.

Speaking from a nearby hospital, one nurse said his facility had received dozens of severely wounded men, as well as four “broken” corpses.