A Sudanese militia leader accused by rights groups of atrocities in Darfur has been released from a Khartoum prison following a pardon by Sudan's ruling council, the movement he heads said in a statement. Human rights groups accused Musa Hilal of coordinating Arab militias blamed for atrocities during a conflict in Darfur that left an estimated 300,000 dead and 2.5 million displaced. Hilal has previously denied responsibility for atrocities, saying he mobilised his tribesmen to defend their lands after a government call to popular defence against non-Arab rebels. Darfur's conflict escalated in 2003 as the rebels rose up against Khartoum,…