New York: There are reasonable grounds to believe war crimes and crimes against humanity are being committed in western Sudan, said the International Criminal Court (ICC) at the United Nations Security Council. The conflict between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which erupted in April 2023, has led to severe civilian casualties, according to the UN.
According to Nam News Network, targeted sexual violence against women and girls of specific ethnicities was identified as one of the most disturbing findings from the ICC’s probe into the crimes in Darfur. Nazhat Shameem emphasized an ongoing pattern of offenses and highlighted efforts to convert these findings into admissible evidence for court proceedings.
Allegations of war crimes have been a constant over the past two years, and in January 2025, the United States declared that the RSF and allied militias were responsible for committing genocide. The RSF, however, refutes these claims, asserting that they are not involved in what they describe as a tribal conflict in Darfur.
UN reports indicate worsening conditions in Darfur, with hospitals and humanitarian convoys facing targeted attacks, and essential resources like food and water being deliberately withheld. Civilians in the city of el-Fasher are isolated from aid due to an RSF-imposed siege, while a cholera outbreak further threatens the already limited water supplies.
The region is also experiencing an escalating famine. Unicef reported that over 40,000 children were treated for severe acute malnutrition from January to May 2025, more than double the number from the same period the previous year. Sheldon Yett from Unicef expressed concern that children in Darfur are being starved by the ongoing conflict and denied critical aid.