Claims of atrocities committed during the Darfur conflict are currently under urgent investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in al-Fashir. Recent fighting between the Sudanese army and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has turned this city into a battlefield.
Tuesday saw the broadcast of a video statement from ICC head prosecutor Karim Khan, who reaffirmed that an investigation into possible crimes of genocide in Darfur is still underway. Concerned about the extensive claims of international crimes in al-Fashir and the surrounding territories, Khan voiced his deepest concerns. These inquiries are receiving top priority from his office, which is working to resolve the matter as quickly as possible.
Authorities have received credible information indicating that there have been attacks on people motivated by ethnicity, as well as numerous cases of rape and attacks on hospitals. Khan stressed how serious these claims are and how quickly action is required. He asked that everyone who may have video or audio evidence contact his office so that it might be used in the inquiry.
More than 1.8 million people, including locals and displaced people, call Al-Fashir, in the Darfur region of northwest Sudan, their home. Since erupting in April 2023, this region has become a flashpoint in the protracted war between the RSF and the Sudanese army.
Genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and even aggression can be brought to justice by the International Criminal Court (ICC). Crimes perpetrated by citizens of or within the borders of any of the 124 member nations of the International Criminal Court (ICC) are subject to its jurisdiction. As shown in the 2005 Darfur case, the ICC can also respond to referrals from the UN Security Council.
Khan, the UN prosecutor, told the UN Security Council in January that he felt government forces and the RSF in El Geneina were committing war crimes in Darfur. The ICC’s determination to investigate and prosecute international crimes, hold perpetrators accountable, and seek justice for Darfur’s victims is demonstrated by its continuing inquiry.
