World court says atrocities spreading across Sudan's Darfur region

International Criminal Court Update on Sudan's Darfur Region

The deputy prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Nazhat Shameem Khan, addressed the United Nations Security Council on Mon, describing the situation in Sudan’s Darfur region as an epicenter of significant suffering. The conflict between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the army, ongoing since April 2023, has led to civilians experiencing collective torture.

According to Khan, the capture of al-Fasher by the RSF has been marked by targeted campaigns against non-Arab communities, involving severe human rights abuses. These include rape, arbitrary detention, executions, and mass graves, with many crimes documented and publicized by perpetrators.

Khan emphasized that these acts are recurring across various towns in Darfur and stressed the necessity of halting the conflict and the impunity that perpetuates it. The Office of the Prosecutor has assessed that war crimes and crimes against humanity have occurred in al-Fasher.

The prosecutor highlighted the importance of collective action to address the ongoing criminality and suffering in Darfur. She urged the Sudanese government to actively pursue the arrest of individuals with outstanding ICC arrest warrants in Sudan.

Response from Sudanese Representatives

Sudanese ambassador to the United Nations, Ammar Mohammed Mahmoud, commented on the involvement of external support in the atrocities committed by the militia, suggesting foreign assistance in military, financial, political, logistical, and media sectors. He called for comprehensive investigations by the court into supporters or collaborators of the militia.

The United Nations has previously cautioned about foreign involvement in Sudan’s civil war. A report by the UN Human Rights Council in September of the previous year accused both the military and the RSF of war crimes and human rights violations.

Based on reporting by Africanews.