War crimes are likely being committed in Darfur, ICC finds

The International Criminal Court (ICC) stated at the United Nations Security Council on Thursday that there are “reasonable grounds” to believe that war crimes and crimes against humanity are occurring in western Sudan.

Targeted sexual violence towards women and girls of certain ethnic groups was identified as one of the most alarming discoveries from the ICC investigation into offenses in Darfur. In April 2023, conflict erupted between the Sudanese military and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), resulting in what the UN describes as “catastrophic civilian losses.”

ICC Deputy Prosecutor Nazhat Shameem Khan remarked that it was “challenging to express the extent of suffering” in the area. The UN Security Council entrusted the ICC with the authority to investigate and prosecute offenses in Darfur two decades ago, resulting in numerous inquiries into war crimes and genocide perpetrated in the region from July 2002 onwards.

The ICC initiated a new investigation in 2023 after civil war erupted again, speaking with victims who escaped the latest phase of the conflict to nearby Chad. Ms. Khan outlined a “persistent pattern of criminal behavior” and emphasized that the team was focused on converting these offenses into court-ready evidence.

Accusations of war crimes have continued over the last two years, and in January 2025, the US concluded that the RSF and associated militias engaged in a genocide. The RSF has rejected the allegations, stating it was not part of what it calls a “tribal conflict” in Darfur.

UN reports indicate that the situation in Darfur has further deteriorated, with hospitals and aid convoys facing deliberate attacks, and food and water intentionally denied.

Residents in the capital of El-Fasher are completely isolated from assistance because of an armed blockade by RSF troops, and a cholera outbreak in conflict areas significantly endangers the already limited water resources.

A worsening famine has affected the area, as the UN’s children’s agency (Unicef) states that over 40,000 children received treatment for severe acute malnutrition from January to May 2025—more than twice the number treated during the same timeframe last year.

“Children in Darfur are being starved by conflict and cut off from the very aid that could save them,” said Sheldon Yett from Unicef.

In the past two years, more than 150,000 people have died in the conflict and approximately 12 million have fled their homes, but Ms Khan warned that “We should not be under any illusion – things can still get worse.”

Following four decades of armed conflict with the Turkish state, the banned Kurdish PKK will host a ceremony on Friday to signify a symbolic initial move towards disarmament. The process of disarmament will commence with high security in Iraqi Kurdistan and is anticipated to last throughout the summer.