🕊️ ICC Warns of War Crimes Against Humanity in Darfur
The International Criminal Court (ICC) says there are "reasonable grounds" to believe that war crimes and crimes against humanity are being committed in Sudan’s Darfur region, amid the ongoing conflict between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Speaking at the United Nations Security Council on Thursday, ICC Deputy Prosecutor Nazhat Shameem Khan revealed disturbing findings from the court’s ongoing investigation, including targeted sexual violence against women and girls based on ethnicity.
“It is difficult to find appropriate words to describe the depth of suffering,” Khan said, describing a grim pattern of abuse supported by over 7,000 pieces of evidence. She praised the “brave” survivors who have come forward to testify.
A Pattern of Atrocities
The ICC first received a mandate to investigate Darfur nearly 20 years ago. Following the outbreak of full-scale conflict in April 2023 between the Sudanese military and RSF, the court launched a fresh probe into the region, especially around el-Fasher and other western areas.
“Rape and sexual violence are being weaponised,” Khan said. “Abductions for ransom or to boost armed ranks are common practice.”
The RSF has denied all accusations, calling the situation in Darfur a “tribal conflict.” However, human rights organizations and the United States have reached a different conclusion. In January 2025, the US officially determined that a genocide was being committed by the RSF and allied militias against non-Arab communities in Darfur.
Siege, Starvation and Disease
Darfur’s humanitarian crisis has deepened, with hospitals attacked, aid convoys targeted, and access to water and food deliberately blocked. The city of el-Fasher remains under siege, and cholera has broken out in multiple conflict zones.
UNICEF says the situation for children is especially dire. Between January and May 2025, over 40,000 children were treated for severe acute malnutrition—more than double the number in the same period last year.
“Children in Darfur are being starved by conflict and cut off from the very aid that could save them,” said UNICEF’s Sheldon Yett.
Since 2023, more than 150,000 people have been killed and 12 million displaced. Khan warned that while the situation is catastrophic, “things can still get worse.”
The ICC remains committed to holding perpetrators accountable. “Those committing crimes in Darfur may feel a sense of impunity at this moment,” Khan said. “But many will face justice.”