The International Criminal Court (ICC) has revealed that there are “reasonable grounds” to believe that war crimes and crimes against humanity are being perpetrated in western Sudan, particularly in Darfur. During a briefing at the United Nations Security Council on Thursday, ICC Deputy Prosecutor Nazhat Shameem Khan highlighted the grave situation unfolding in the region, stating that the “depth of suffering” in Darfur is almost beyond description.
According to the ICC’s investigation, one of the most disturbing findings is the prevalence of targeted sexual violence against women and girls from specific ethnic groups. This violence is a hallmark of the ongoing conflict, which erupted in April 2023 between Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The UN has referred to the escalating violence as causing “devastating civilian casualties.”
Since the ICC was granted a mandate to investigate war crimes in Darfur two decades ago, the court has opened multiple investigations into atrocities committed in the region from July 2002. The fresh investigation, which began in 2023 after a new wave of civil war, is focused on crimes committed during this latest conflict, with interviews conducted with victims who fled the violence to neighbouring Chad.
Khan referred to an “inescapable pattern of offending,” emphasizing that the ICC is working to convert these crimes into actionable evidence for prosecution. Despite the RSF’s denial of involvement, calling the conflict a “tribal conflict,” the US, in January 2025, officially classified the RSF and its militias’ actions as genocide.
The humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate rapidly in Darfur. The United Nations has reported targeted attacks on hospitals and humanitarian convoys, while food and water supplies are being deliberately withheld from civilians. In El-Fasher, the capital of Darfur, RSF forces have encircled the city, cutting off access to aid entirely. The conflict has also led to an outbreak of cholera, which is worsening the already limited water supplies.
A famine is spreading across the region, with the UN’s children’s agency (UNICEF) reporting that more than 40,000 children were treated for severe acute malnutrition between January and May 2025 – a staggering increase compared to the previous year. UNICEF’s Sheldon Yett said, “Children in Darfur are being starved by conflict and cut off from the very aid that could save them.”
Since the onset of this latest conflict, over 150,000 people have died, and approximately 12 million have been displaced, with many seeking refuge in neighbouring countries. However, ICC’s Khan warned that “things can still get worse,” as the region continues to spiral into further chaos.
The International Criminal Court’s continued investigation seeks to bring justice to the victims of this ongoing violence, but the challenge of holding perpetrators accountable remains monumental as the war and humanitarian crises intensify.
