The International Criminal Court (ICC) has initiated an investigation into escalating violence in Darfur, Sudan since mid-April, including reports of murder, rape, arson, displacement, and crimes impacting children, the chief prosecutor of the United Nations Court reported on Thursday.
Sudan’s military and the Rapid Support Forces are engaged in battles in the capital, Khartoum, and other regions in a power struggle that has been unfolding since mid-April. The conflict has displaced over three million people, with more than 700,000 fleeing to neighboring countries.
Last week, the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that Sudan, Africa’s third-largest country in terms of area, is on the brink of a comprehensive civil war that could destabilize the entire region.
The U.S. State Department today praised the ICC’s investigation while condemning the continued “brutal acts and racially motivated killings” committed in West Darfur. Department spokesman Matthew Miller stated in a report, “The brutal acts and violence in Darfur demand accountability and a reasonable amount of justice for the victims and affected communities, and an end to impunity.”
The office of the Prosecutor General, Karim Khan, confirmed in a report to the International Security Council, “The office can confirm that it has begun investigations related to incidents in the context of current combat operations.”
The ICC report meticulously tracks reports of extrajudicial killings, burning of homes and markets, looting in Geneina, West Darfur, as well as killing and displacement of civilians in North Darfur and other places across Darfur. The court is also looking into “allegations about sexual crimes and gender-based crimes, including mass rape and alleged reports of violence against children and crimes affecting them.”
Despite the ICC’s inability to operate in Sudan currently due to security conditions, it plans to do so as soon as possible. Under a 2005 International Security Council resolution, its jurisdiction is limited to the Darfur region.
The ICC has four outstanding arrest warrants related to previous fighting in Darfur between 2003 and 2008, one against Omar al-Bashir for alleged genocide. Al-Bashir is currently detained in Sudan, along with two of his former ministers who are also wanted by the ICC for alleged war crimes in Darfur.
In April, the ICC began its first trial related to Darfur crimes, regarding the alleged former leader of the Janjaweed militia, Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-al-Rahman.
The developments in Sudan and the commitment of the ICC to investigate are closely watched by the international community, further reinforcing the importance of justice and accountability in the face of ongoing violence.
