The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Karim Khan, arrived in the Chadian capital, N’Djamena, on Friday to visit Sudanese refugee camps. These camps shelter those fleeing the El Geneina massacres in West Darfur. The visit is part of the ICC’s ongoing investigations into the events in Darfur, with Khan set to present a report to the UN Security Council on Monday.
Witnesses who provided testimonies to ICC investigators revealed that the investigations, initiated on July 5, focused primarily on the city of Adre, which received a significant influx of people escaping the conflict in West Darfur. The investigations cover various cases, including the killing of the governor of West Darfur state, Khamis Abkar. Other aspects being examined involve sexual violence, rapes, and mass killings based on ethnic identity.
On July 13, Karim Khan announced the ICC’s initiation of a new investigation into “war crimes” in Darfur following the discovery of a mass grave containing 87 bodies in the city of El Geneina. Allegations pointed to the Rapid Support Forces being responsible for the atrocities.
Since April, Darfur has experienced a series of attacks by the Rapid Support Forces and allied tribes, leading to the displacement of thousands to Chad. The conflict in Sudan, which erupted in April, involves clashes between the army and the Rapid Support Forces, resulting in over 13,000 casualties and displacing more than 7 million people, according to the United Nations.
