The International Criminal Court (ICC) has voiced grave concern over reports of mass killings, sexual violence, and widespread attacks on civilians in Sudan’s North Darfur state, warning that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) may have committed war crimes or crimes against humanity in the city of al-Fashir.

In a statement issued late Monday, the ICC Prosecutor’s Office said it was “deeply alarmed by the credible reports emerging from al-Fashir”, adding that the patterns of violence appear consistent with those documented across Darfur since the conflict erupted in April 2023.

“These atrocities—including mass killings, targeted attacks against civilian communities, and reports of sexual and gender-based violence—may constitute war crimes or crimes against humanity,” the statement read.

The Prosecutor’s Office underscored that the Court maintains jurisdiction over the situation in Darfur under UN Security Council Resolution 1593 (2005), which referred the Darfur conflict to the ICC. The statement reminded all parties that “individuals who commit, order, or assist in the commission of such crimes will be held accountable before international justice.”

The ICC confirmed that its investigators have been conducting inquiries into crimes committed in Darfur since renewed hostilities began between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the RSF in April 2023. According to the latest report submitted to the UN Security Council, the Prosecutor’s Office has intensified its operations through multiple field missions, direct engagement with victims’ groups and civil society organizations, and enhanced coordination with national and international partners.

The Office said it is now taking urgent steps to collect and preserve evidence from al-Fashir, including satellite imagery, witness testimonies, and open-source materials, to support potential future prosecutions.
“The priority is to ensure that evidence of atrocities is neither lost nor destroyed amid the ongoing fighting,” it stated.

Al-Fashir, the capital of North Darfur, has been under siege for months, with aid agencies reporting mass displacement, food shortages, and collapsed medical services. Humanitarian organizations have warned that hundreds of thousands of civilians are trapped amid intense urban warfare, with hospitals and civilian infrastructure repeatedly targeted.

According to the UN, more than 200 civilians have been killed in recent weeks during RSF assaults on displacement camps and residential neighborhoods in and around al-Fashir. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) described the situation as “history repeating itself,” recalling the atrocities of the early 2000s Darfur conflict.

ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan reiterated his office’s determination to hold perpetrators accountable, saying:

“We are not passive observers. The world cannot turn away as the people of Darfur once again face unspeakable violence. Those responsible will face justice—no matter how long it takes.”

The conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), led by Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), commanded by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemeti), has plunged Sudan into one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
Since April 2023, thousands have been killed and more than 10 million people displaced, according to UN estimates. (ILKHA)