The International Criminal Court (ICC) has raised serious concerns about the escalating violence in Sudan, particularly in the Darfur region, where civilians are facing organized and widespread atrocities. ICC Deputy Prosecutor Nazhat Shameem Khan described the situation as “darkening even further,” with mass executions, arbitrary detentions, rape, and the use of collective torture as tools for control by armed groups. These crimes are occurring amid the ongoing conflict between Sudan’s rival military forces, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which erupted in April 2023.
Darfur, long affected by ethnic tensions and past allegations of genocide, has become the epicentre of “profound suffering,” especially after the RSF captured North Darfur’s capital, El Fasher. Evidence indicates a systematic campaign of violence targeting non-Arab communities, with perpetrators filming and sometimes celebrating executions. ICC investigations have documented similar patterns in other towns, highlighting that atrocities are being repeated “town after town” across the region.
In El Geneina, the ICC is investigating attacks on displacement camps, looting, gender-based violence, and crimes against children, following massacres against the Massalit community in 2023 that forced hundreds of thousands to flee to Chad. Ms. Khan noted that sexual violence is being deliberately used as a weapon of war, and ICC investigations prioritize gender-based crimes, taking into account the challenges survivors face in reporting abuses.
While the RSF is primarily implicated, the ICC is also documenting alleged crimes by the Sudanese Armed Forces, emphasizing that all parties to the conflict are legally obliged to protect civilians. Although recent convictions, such as that of former Janjaweed leader Ali Kushayb, mark progress toward accountability, Ms. Khan stressed that the ongoing scale of atrocities far exceeds these achievements. She urged Sudanese authorities to arrest senior suspects, including former President Omar al-Bashir and other high-ranking officials, warning that justice for Darfur’s victims will remain hollow without action at the highest levels.
