Latest news with #sexual violence
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Sudan: War crimes and crimes against humanity taking place, International Criminal Court believes
The International Criminal Court (ICC) believes war crimes and crimes against humanity are taking place in Sudan, where civil war has raged for more than two years. The tribunal's deputy prosecutor has told the UN Security Council that the humanitarian crisis and depth of suffering in the country's western Darfur region "has reached an intolerable state". Nazhat Shameem Khan said: "People are being deprived of water and food. "Rape and sexual violence are being weaponised. Abductions for ransom or to bolster the ranks of armed groups have become common practice." "And yet we should not be under any illusion," she told the UN's most powerful body. "Things can still get worse." The war in began in April 2023, when long-simmering tensions between the Sudanese army and paramilitary forces broke out in the capital, Khartoum. The conflict soon spread to other regions, including Darfur, and some 40,000 people have been killed and almost 13 million displaced, according to UN agencies. Ms Khan said the ICC has been closely tracking the dire situation in North Darfur in recent weeks. The region's capital, El Fasher, has been besieged by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and affiliated groups. The RSF, which controls the capitals of all other states in Darfur, has also attacked famine-hit Zamzam and other camps for displaced Sudanese in North Darfur. Ms Khan said: "On the basis of our independent investigations, the position of our office is clear, we have reasonable grounds to believe that war crimes and crimes against humanity have been and are continuing to be committed in Darfur." Read more: The conclusion is based on documentary, testimonial and digital evidence collected by ICC investigations over the last six months and over 7,000 items of evidence collected to date, she added. Ms Khan emphasised that the ICC considers the situation in Darfur "of the utmost importance" and said it will not be deterred until justice is delivered to the perpetrators. Darfur became synonymous with genocide and war crimes two decades ago, particularly by the notorious Janjaweed Arab militias. Up to 300,000 people were killed and 2.7 million were driven out of their homes. Ms Khan said those now "inflicting unimaginable atrocities on [Darfur's] population" should know Janjaweed leader Ali Kushayb is currently on trial and the ICC hopes it will be the first of many.
Sky News
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Sky News
Sudan: War crimes and crimes against humanity taking place, International Criminal Court believes
The International Criminal Court (ICC) believes war crimes and crimes against humanity are taking place in Sudan, where civil war has raged for more than two years. The tribunal's deputy prosecutor has told the UN Security Council that the humanitarian crisis and depth of suffering in the country's western Darfur region "has reached an intolerable state". Nazhat Shameem Khan said: "People are being deprived of water and food. "Rape and sexual violence are being weaponised. Abductions for ransom or to bolster the ranks of armed groups have become common practice." "And yet we should not be under any illusion," she told the UN's most powerful body. "Things can still get worse." The war in Sudan began in April 2023, when long-simmering tensions between the Sudanese army and paramilitary forces broke out in the capital, Khartoum. The conflict soon spread to other regions, including Darfur, and some 40,000 people have been killed and almost 13 million displaced, according to UN agencies. Ms Khan said the ICC has been closely tracking the dire situation in North Darfur in recent weeks. The region's capital, El Fasher, has been besieged by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and affiliated groups. The RSF, which controls the capitals of all other states in Darfur, has also attacked famine-hit Zamzam and other camps for displaced Sudanese in North Darfur. Ms Khan said: "On the basis of our independent investigations, the position of our office is clear, we have reasonable grounds to believe that war crimes and crimes against humanity have been and are continuing to be committed in Darfur." The conclusion is based on documentary, testimonial and digital evidence collected by ICC investigations over the last six months and over 7,000 items of evidence collected to date, she added. Ms Khan emphasised that the ICC considers the situation in Darfur "of the utmost importance" and said it will not be deterred until justice is delivered to the perpetrators. 2:51 Darfur became synonymous with genocide and war crimes two decades ago, particularly by the notorious Janjaweed Arab militias. Up to 300,000 people were killed and 2.7 million were driven out of their homes. Ms Khan said those now "inflicting unimaginable atrocities on [Darfur's] population" should know Janjaweed leader Ali Kushayb is currently on trial and the ICC hopes it will be the first of many.
The National
11-07-2025
- Politics
- The National
Evidence found of war crimes in Sudan's Darfur, ICC prosecutor says
Investigations have found war crimes are being committed in Sudan's Darfur region, prosecutors at the International Criminal Court said on Thursday. Deputy ICC prosecutor Nazhat Shameem Khan told the UN Security Council that "the humanitarian position has reached an intolerable state" in the war-torn region. "Hospitals, humanitarian convoys and other civilian objects are apparently being targeted. Famine is escalating, and humanitarian aid is not reaching those in dire need of it," she said. "People are being deprived of water and food. Rape and sexual violence are being weaponised, abductions for ransom or to bolster the ranks of armed groups have become common practice, and yet we should not be under any illusion things can still get worse. "On the basis of our independent investigations, the position of our office is clear. We have reasonable grounds to believe that war crimes and crimes against humanity, have been and are continuing to be committed in Darfur." Sudan was plunged into conflict in mid-April 2023, when long-simmering tension between its military and paramilitary leaders broke out in the capital, Khartoum, then spread to other regions, including Darfur. About 40,000 people have been killed and nearly 13 million displaced, including to other countries, the UN has said. The Darfur region was previously rocked a war that began in 2003, with hundreds of thousands of civilians killed and more than two million displaced. Ms Khan said the ICC had closely tracked reports in recent weeks of the dire situation in North Darfur, where the capital El Fasher is being besieged by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and its affiliates. The RSF has also attacked famine-hit Zamzam and other displacement camps in North Darfur. There are also allegations of war crimes occurring in other parts of the country amid the conflict. A report by UN experts released in September last year concluded that both sides in the civil war may have committed war crimes. The report, which was rejected by the military-run Sudanese government, recommended an arms embargo on the nation and the creation of an international peacekeeping force to protect civilians.
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
War crimes are likely being committed in Darfur, ICC finds
There are "reasonable grounds" to believe war crimes and crimes against humanity are being committed in western Sudan, said the International Criminal Court (ICC) at the United Nations Security Council on Thursday. Targeted sexual violence against women and girls of specific ethnicities was named as one of the most disturbing findings to emerge from the ICC probe on crimes committed in Darfur. War broke out between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in April 2023, leading to what the UN calls "devastating civilian casualties". ICC Deputy Prosecutor Nazhat Shameem Khan said it was "difficult to find appropriate words to describe the depth of suffering" in the region. The UN Security Council gave the ICC a mandate to investigate and prosecute crimes in Darfur two decades ago, with the body opening multiple investigations into war crimes and genocide committed in the region from July 2002 onwards. The ICC launched a fresh probe in 2023 after civil war broke out once again, interviewing victims who had fled the most recent iteration of the conflict to neighbouring Chad. Ms Khan described an "inescapable pattern of offending", and stressed that the team were working to translate such crimes into evidence for the court. Allegations of war crimes have persisted throughout the past two years, and in January 2025 the US determined that the RSF and allied militias had committed a genocide. The RSF has denied the claims, and said it was not involved in what it describes as a "tribal conflict" in Darfur. Sudan war: A simple guide to what is happening Reports from the UN indicate that conditions in Darfur have continued to worsen, with hospitals and humanitarian convoys suffering targeted attacks, and food and water deliberately withheld. Civilians in the capital city of El-Fasher have been cut off from aid entirely due to armed encirclement by RSF forces, and an outbreak of cholera across conflict zones poses a serious threat to already scarce water supplies. An escalating famine has gripped the region, with the UN's children's agency (Unicef) reporting that more than 40,000 children were admitted for treatment due to severe acute malnutrition between January and May 2025 – more than double the number admitted in the same period 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." Hundreds may have been killed in recent Darfur attacks, says UN 'Death is everywhere': Sudan camp residents shelter from attacks Famine looms in Sudan as civil war survivors tell of killings and rapes
BBC News
11-07-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Darfur, Sudan: war crimes are being committed, says ICC
There are "reasonable grounds" to believe war crimes and crimes against humanity are being committed in western Sudan, said the International Criminal Court (ICC) at the United Nations Security Council on sexual violence against women and girls of specific ethnicities was named as one of the most disturbing findings to emerge from the ICC probe on crimes committed in broke out between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in April 2023, leading to what the UN calls "devastating civilian casualties".ICC Deputy Prosecutor Nazhat Shameem Khan said it was "difficult to find appropriate words to describe the depth of suffering" in the region. The UN Security Council gave the ICC a mandate to investigate and prosecute crimes in Darfur two decades ago, with the body opening multiple investigations into war crimes and genocide committed in the region from July 2002 ICC launched a fresh probe in 2023 after civil war broke out once again, interviewing victims who had fled the most recent iteration of the conflict to neighbouring Chad. Ms Khan described an "inescapable pattern of offending", and stressed that the team were working to translate such crimes into evidence for the court. Allegations of war crimes have persisted throughout the past two years, and in January 2025 the US determined that the RSF and allied militias had committed a genocide. The RSF has denied the claims, and said it was not involved in what it describes as a "tribal conflict" in Darfur. Reports from the UN indicate that conditions in Darfur have continued to worsen, with hospitals and humanitarian convoys suffering targeted attacks, and food and water deliberately in the capital city of El-Fasher have been cut off from aid entirely due to armed encirclement by RSF forces, and an outbreak of cholera across conflict zones poses a serious threat to already scarce water escalating famine has gripped the region, with the UN's children's agency (Unicef) reporting that more than 40,000 children were admitted for treatment due to severe acute malnutrition between January and May 2025 – more than double the number admitted in the same period 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 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."
