Web Desk

<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">THE HAGUE: The International Criminal Court&rsquo;s Office of the Prosecutor on Tuesday expressed deep concern over reports of mass killings, rapes, and other crimes allegedly committed during recent attacks by the Rapid Support Forces in El-Fasher, North Darfur.<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In a statement, the ICC Prosecutor&rsquo;s Office said the alleged atrocities form part of a wider pattern of violence that has plagued the Darfur region since April 2023. If confirmed, these acts may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity under the Rome Statute, the statement said.<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Office recalled that &ldquo;under UN Security Council Resolution 1593 (2005), the ICC has jurisdiction over crimes being committed in the ongoing conflict in Darfur.&rdquo; It said investigations are ongoing &ldquo;into crimes allegedly committed in Darfur since the outbreak of hostilities in April 2023.&rdquo;<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">According to the statement, &ldquo;the Office is working intensively, including through repeated field deployments, deepened engagement with victim groups and civil society, and enhanced cooperation with national authorities and international organisations.&rdquo;<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Based on recent reports from El-Fasher, &ldquo;immediate steps are being taken to preserve and collect relevant evidence for its use in future prosecutions, the Prosecutor&rsquo;s Office said.&rdquo;<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It added that &ldquo;the recent conviction by ICC judges of Janjaweed leader Mr Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman (also known as Ali Kushayb) for similar crimes committed in Darfur in 2004 is a warning for all parties to the conflict in Darfur that there will be accountability for such atrocious crimes.&rdquo;<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ICC called on &ldquo;all individuals and organisations engaged in the pursuit of justice and accountability to submit, through the secure OTP Link platform, any information or evidence related to recent and prior events in El-Fasher.&rdquo;

Africa

The International Criminal Court expressed deep concern over reports of mass killings and abuse in Sudan’s El-Fasher, warning that the alleged atrocities by Rapid Support Forces may constitute war crimes.

Atrocities in Sudan could constitute war crimes, ICC says

ISLAMABAD: At the UN Security Council, Pakistan&rsquo;s Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad condemned the atrocities in Sudan&rsquo;s Darfur region, urging decisive international action, an immediate ceasefire, and a Sudanese-led political solution. This was said by Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the UN, in a statement at the Security Council Meeting on the Situation in Sudan on October 30, said a press release issued by Pakistan&rsquo;s Permanent Mission to the UN on Thursday.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 2;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-2" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-2&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1983931984431677909&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=27d9da0f00a26766fae5b90dac22e51889054815&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 744px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>Ambassador Ahmad said the situation in Darfur has continued to deteriorate sharply. &ldquo;And this despite Security Council resolution 2736 (2024), which demanded that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) lift the siege of El Fasher, and despite repeated Council press statements calling for an end to the atrocities, the RSF has taken over El-Fasher and continues to commit one war crime after another.&rdquo; &lsquo;Unambiguous message&rsquo;Stressing the need for the Council to send an &lsquo;unambiguous message&rsquo;, Ambassador Ahmad said: &ldquo;It is time for this Council to send an unambiguous message that it will not remain a passive spectator while innocent civilians are massacred, hospitals are bombed, and aid workers are targeted with impunity.&rdquo; Condemning the atrocities committed, the Pakistan representative said: &ldquo;Pakistan condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the atrocities perpetrated by the RSF, and its violent takeover of El Fasher.&rdquo; &lsquo;Heinous acts must stop&rsquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;The deliberate targeting of civilians, medical facilities, and humanitarian personnel constitutes a flagrant violation of international humanitarian and human rights law. We are appalled by the killing of hundreds of patients and health workers at the Saudi Maternity Hospital and by the continued siege that has trapped thousands of civilians in inhumane conditions,&rdquo; he added. &ldquo;These heinous acts must stop immediately, and the perpetrators and their sponsors must be held fully accountable,&rdquo; the Pakistani representative demanded. Underlining the need for learning from &lsquo;past mistakes&rsquo;, he said, &ldquo;Those who reject parallel governance by RSF but at the same time try to equate the militia with the Sudanese authorities, must review their position.&rdquo; &ldquo;The perceived lack of full support for the Sudanese Government by this Council only emboldens the RSF and prolongs the conflict,&rdquo; he added. &ldquo;Undermining Sudan&rsquo;s legitimate state institutions risks creating a vacuum that armed groups like RSF exploit to commit further atrocities and destabilize the entire region.&rdquo; The ambassador said, &ldquo;It is therefore imperative that the international community engage constructively with the Sudanese authorities to sustain governance, facilitate humanitarian access, advance the political process, and preserve national unity.&rdquo; &lsquo;Parallel governance structures&rsquo;&ldquo;We recognize the steps taken by the Sudanese Government in pursuance of its transitional roadmap, including the appointment of a new Prime Minister and a technocratic cabinet tasked with alleviating humanitarian suffering and advancing an inclusive political transition. These are positive developments that deserve the Council&rsquo;s acknowledgment and support,&rdquo; he added. He said Pakistan reaffirms its unwavering commitment to Sudan&#39;s sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity. &ldquo;We condemn, unequivocally, the establishment of any so-called parallel governance structures which undermine Sudan&rsquo;s state institutions and risk fragmenting the country. Such illegitimate structures must find no recognition from the international community.&rdquo; &lsquo;Guns must fall silent&rsquo;&nbsp;Ambassador Ahmad said, &ldquo;The guns must fall silent. External interference must stop. We call for an immediate cessation of hostilities and for renewed engagement in a genuinely Sudanese-led and Sudanese-owned political process, consistent with the spirit of the Jeddah Declaration and commitments to Protect the Civilians in Sudan.&rdquo; A press release issued by the Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the United Nations on Thursday stated, &ldquo;As the world bears witness to yet another chapter of human bloodshed and suffering in Darfur (Sudan), Pakistan today urged the UN Security Council to abandon passivity and confront impunity head-on, warning that silence in the face of atrocity is complicity by another name.&rdquo;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 2;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-3" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-3&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1984080419969511756&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=27d9da0f00a26766fae5b90dac22e51889054815&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 648px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>

Foreign Affairs

Pakistan urges UN to act against Sudan war crimes; at the UN Security Council, Pakistan’s envoy condemns RSF atrocities in Sudan and urges decisive international action.

Pakistan urges decisive UN action to end atrocities, restore peace in Sudan

PORT SUDAN: A paramilitary drone strike killed at least 30 people at a displacement shelter in the besieged city of El-Fasher in western Sudan on Saturday, a local activist group said. The resistance committee for El-Fasher said the Rapid Support Forces, which have been at war with the army since April 2023, hit the Dar al-Arqam displacement centre on the grounds of a university. Bodies remained trapped in underground shelters, the committee said in a statement, describing it as a &quot;massacre&quot; and calling on the international community to intervene.

A drone strike by Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces killed at least 30 people at a displacement center in El-Fasher, activists say. Victims were sheltering at a university; bodies remain trapped underground.

Drone strike kills 30 in Sudan's El-Fasher: activists

KHARTOUM: Sudan issued what it described as a &ldquo;red alert&rdquo; warning of potential floods in five provinces along the Nile River, citing rising water levels in its two main tributaries, the Blue and White Nile. The Sudanese irrigation ministry issued the alert Sunday and it remained in effect Monday. The ministry urged residents in Khartoum, River Nile, White Nile, Sennar, and Blue Nile provinces to practice caution as floods may affect agricultural lands and houses. Some farmers in the River Nile province were forced to quickly sell their onion crops as flooding was reported in lowland areas, which would affect farming, Shendi Now, a Facebook site, reported recently. The Sudanese irrigation ministry warned Sunday that water flow has been high for four consecutive days as dams in the area discharged excess water. The water levels were expected to decrease throughout the week. The situation is the result of a man-made error, said Abbas Sharaky, a Professor of Geology and Water Resources at Cairo University. Ethiopia earlier this month inaugurated the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, Africa&rsquo;s largest dam, to boost the economy. The nearly $5 billion dam, located on the Blue Nile tributary of the Nile River near Ethiopia&rsquo;s border with Sudan, will produce more than 5,000 megawatts and is expected to double Ethiopia&rsquo;s electricity generation capacity, according to officials. Although Sudan benefits from the dam&rsquo;s water flow during the agricultural season, &ldquo;the current situation is causing more harm than good because harvest season almost ended,&quot; Sharaky said. He added that the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, also known as the GERD, wasn&rsquo;t emptied gradually as it stored water during Ethiopia&rsquo;s rainy season between June and August, which also burdens the dam. Four turbines that were supposed to help reduce the dam&rsquo;s reservoir failed to operate, preventing Ethiopia from releasing excess water, which led to excessive water flow into Sudan this week, Sharaky said. &ldquo;Ethiopia was stubborn and has repeatedly said that the dam&rsquo;s turbines are working, but seeing the stored water not decreasing says otherwise,&rdquo; Sharaky said. Egypt says Ethiopia has consistently lacked the political will to reach a binding agreement on the dam, undermining the Nile River water rights of Egypt and Sudan. Ethiopian Water Minister Habtamu Itefa Geleta said during the inauguration of the GERD that flooding had been reduced in Sudan as a result of the dam storing water during the rainy season.

A view of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam in Benishangul-Gumuz, Ethiopia, Sept. 9, 2025. (AP)

Sudan issued a red alert for potential flooding in five provinces along the Nile due to rising water levels in the Blue and White Nile. The situation is worsened by Ethiopia’s Grand Renaissance Dam water discharge.

Articles tagged with "Sudan"

Atrocities in Sudan could constitute war crimes, ICC says

Pakistan urges decisive UN action to end atrocities, restore peace in Sudan

Drone strike kills 30 in Sudan's El-Fasher: activists

Sudan issues flood warning as Nile water levels rise in five provinces