The International Criminal Court (ICC) announced at the United Nations Security Council that it has gathered sufficient evidence to believe that war crimes and crimes against humanity are being perpetrated in Darfur, western Sudan.
ICC Deputy Prosecutor Nazhat Shameem Khan highlighted targeted sexual violence against women and girls of certain ethnic groups as among the most egregious abuses uncovered during the ongoing investigation. The probe is based on more than 7,000 pieces of evidence, including testimonies from survivors who fled to neighboring Chad.
“These findings reveal an entrenched pattern of violations,” Khan told the Council, emphasizing the bravery of those who provided witness accounts despite the risks.
The ICC was first tasked by the UN to investigate atrocities in Darfur over 20 years ago. A new investigation was launched in 2023 following the outbreak of full-scale war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which erupted in April 2023.
Ms. Khan stated that although perpetrators may currently feel immune from accountability, the ICC is determined to bring those responsible to justice.
Earlier this year, the U.S. government accused the RSF and allied militias of carrying out genocide against non-Arab communities in Darfur. The RSF rejected the claims, calling the conflict a local tribal dispute.
The humanitarian situation in Darfur continues to deteriorate. The UN reports repeated attacks on hospitals and aid convoys, and the deliberate obstruction of food and water supplies. Cholera outbreaks and famine are intensifying across the region. Between January and May 2025 alone, more than 40,000 children were treated for life-threatening malnutrition — more than double the previous year.
Sheldon Yett of UNICEF warned that children are “being starved by conflict and denied access to life-saving aid.” Civilians in el-Fasher remain under siege by RSF forces, cut off from humanitarian relief.
To date, the conflict has claimed the lives of over 150,000 people and displaced around 12 million. But ICC officials caution that conditions may further deteriorate unless accountability and humanitarian access are prioritized.
Sudanese authorities continue to deny the use of chemical weapons and mass atrocities. However, the ICC’s message to perpetrators was clear: impunity will not be tolerated.