ICC seeks arrest warrants over alleged war crimes in Sudan’s Darfur
The International Criminal Court (ICC) is seeking arrest warrants for those accused of atrocities in Sudan’s West Darfur region.
Prosecutor Karim Khan made the announcement on Monday.
The region has seen reported ethnic cleansing by paramilitary forces that have been fighting government forces for about 19 months.
A power struggle between the top generals, namely government leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Rapid Special Forces (RSF) commander Mohamed Dagalo, plunged the country into conflict in mid-April 2023.
Speaking at the UN Security Council, Khan said the arrest warrants will be issued for individuals linked to alleged war crimes in Darfur.
Khan cited targeted attacks on women and children amid famine in the country, describing the situation in the past six months as a “tailspin into deeper suffering, deeper misery for the people of Darfur.”
“Famine is present in Darfur. Conflict is increasing. Children are targeted. Girls and women are subject to rape, and the whole landscape is one of destruction.”
The ICC prosecutor said crimes are being committed “as we speak and daily” and are being used as a weapon of war. Khan called for an end to “the suffering of women and children and men in Darfur.”
Khan said the arrest warrants decision is the result of evidence-based "analysis" of the information collected by his office.
“This is not, I want to make clear, a general assessment. This is not an assessment gleaned from unverified reports.”
“It's a hard-edged analysis that my office has reached based upon evidence and information collected and reviewed.”
He said his office had given "priority" to gender-based crimes.
“I can confirm today that my office is taking the necessary steps to put forward applications for warrants of arrest in relation to crimes we allege are being committed and have been committed in West Darfur.”
Khan appealed to the warring parties to comply with international humanitarian law.
The arrest warrant applications, Khan said, will only be submitted when his office is "satisfied" with the evidence and "there's a realistic prospect of conviction."
“I do expect, and hope, and require swift and meaningful action, and will be monitoring that.”
“Now, better late than never, for goodness sake, comply with international humanitarian law, not as a charity, not out of some political necessity, but out of the dictates of humanity.”
The two warring sides deny any wrongdoing, and trade blames over such issues as targeting civilians and indiscriminately shelling residential areas.
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