The United Nations Fact-Finding Mission in Sudan reported on Friday that both sides of the conflict, the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces, have committed violations that may amount to war crimes. The mission’s 19-page report, based on 182 interviews with survivors, their families, and witnesses, documented attacks on civilians and instances of torture and forced detention by both factions.
Mohammed Shandy Osman, the head of the mission, emphasized to journalists the urgent need to protect civilians, advocating for the immediate deployment of an independent force. Mona Rishmawi, a member of the mission, stated, “We cannot stand by and watch people die before our eyes without doing something.” She added that deploying a United Nations peacekeeping force is a viable option.
The mission also called for an expansion of an existing United Nations arms embargo, currently limited to Darfur, to cover the entire country. Joy Ngozi Ezeilo, another member of the mission, reported over 400 cases of rape in the first year of the conflict alone, though the actual number is likely much higher. She highlighted the profound and long-lasting psychological impact of the war’s brutality on children. The fact-finding team noted several attempts to engage with Sudanese authorities, which went unanswered, though the Rapid Support Forces expressed interest in cooperating with the mission, without providing further details.
