Global legal body examines claims of wartime offenses committed in Sudan.
On Tuesday, Prosecutor Karim Khan shared a video statement about the ongoing investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC) regarding potential atrocities occurring in Darfur. Khan expressed great concern over claims of numerous international crimes happening in al-Fashir and nearby regions. He stated that his team is actively pursuing these allegations.
Khan revealed they've witnessed credible evidence of what seems to be ethnic assaults on the local civilian population, widespread sexual assault, and attacks on medical facilities. Khan urged anyone with potentially relevant evidence, such as images or audio, to share it with his office.
Al-Fashir, found in northwestern Sudan's Darfur region, plays host to over 1.8 million residents and displaced individuals. It serves as the current battleground in Sudan's violent conflict between the army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which started in April 2023.
The ICC has the ability to prosecute war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide, and even the crime of aggression, under certain circumstances. These cases could occur on the ground of a member state or involve a national of an ICC member. Additionally, the UN Security Council can refer cases to the ICC, similar to the situation in Darfur back in 2005.
Earlier this year, the ICC's prosecutor informed the UN Security Council that they believed war crimes were being committed in Darfur by government troops and the RSF, specifically in El Geneina.
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In light of the ongoing investigation in Darfur, Prosecutor Khan expressed his concern about the alleged international crimes taking place not just in al-Fashir, but also in other regions of Africa. The International Criminal Court has the jurisdiction to prosecute such crimes, regardless of whether they occur within a member state or involve a national of an ICC member, and could potentially extend to situations referred by the UN Security Council, similar to Darfur in 2005.
