Skip to main content

UN mission suspects war crimes in Sudan, calls for peacekeeping force

1 min

Both sides in Sudan's civil war have committed abuses on a large scale which may amount to war crimes or crimes against humanity, a U.N.-mandated mission said on Friday, recommending an arms embargo and a peacekeeping force to protect civilians.

Khartoum, the Capital of Sudan © Mena Today 

Both sides in Sudan's civil war have committed abuses on a large scale which may amount to war crimes or crimes against humanity, a U.N.-mandated mission said on Friday, recommending an arms embargo and a peacekeeping force to protect civilians.

The 19-page report by a UN Fact-Finding Mission, based on 182 interviews with survivors, their family members and witnesses, said that both the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) were responsible for attacks on civilians and had used torture and carried out arbitrary arrests.

"The gravity of these findings underscores the urgent and immediate action to protect civilians," said the mission's chair Mohamed Chande Othman, calling for an independent and impartial force to be deployed without delay.

The report is the three-member mission’s first since its creation in October 2023 by the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva.

Civilians in Sudan are facing worsening famine, mass displacement and disease after 17 months of war between the army and the RSF paramilitary.

U.S.-led mediators said last month that they had secured guarantees from both parties at talks in Switzerland to improve access for humanitarian aid, but that the Sudanese army's absence from the discussions had hindered progress.

Reporting by Emma Farge

Related

Egypt

Egypt’s UNESCO candidate unveils multilingual campaign website

Khaled El-Enany, Egypt's candidate for the position of Director-General of UNESCO, has secured significant backing from several countries, including France, Gabon, and Brazil, as well as prominent international organizations such as the Arab League and the African Union.

Algeria

France plans to cancel 2013 visa-free agreement with Algeria

French Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin has announced plans to abolish the 2013 intergovernmental agreement between France and Algeria, which allows Algerian officials to enter France without a visa. This move comes amid escalating diplomatic tensions between the two nations.

Subscribe to our newsletter

Mena banner 4

To make this website run properly and to improve your experience, we use cookies. For more detailed information, please check our Cookie Policy.

  • Necessary cookies enable core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences.