“They burned everything,” a witness recounted of a shelling attack in the Zamzam displacement camp in war-stricken Darfur. “They claimed to target soldiers but punished the entire community.”
The latest report to the UN Human Rights Council documents war crimes and human rights violations by both the military government and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia, published by the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission (FFM) investigating violations in Sudan.
The report, ‘A War of Atrocities,’ reveals that both the Sudanese army (SAF) and the RSF have conducted large-scale attacks against civilians and vital infrastructure, such as medical centers, violating international law.
Systematic Human Rights Abuses
“Our findings leave no room for doubt: civilians are paying the highest price in this war,” said Mohamed Chande Othman, chair of the FFM.
The report indicates that civilians are targeted by both sides due to real or perceived affiliations with the opposition. Executions, torture, and rape are daily horrors for many in the war-torn country.
The RSF specifically attacked non-Arab communities in El Fasher and the surrounding Darfur region, exacerbating what the UNHCR calls the world’s fastest-growing displacement crisis.
About 12.1 million people have faced forced displacement as of July. More civilians were killed or displaced after SAF targeted the state of Gezira.
Violence Against Women
Many civilians reported sexual assault. A witness claimed she, along with other women and underage girls, experienced rape in an abandoned building.
“Victims – especially women and children, who bear the greatest burden – deserve justice and reparations,” said Joy Ngozi Ezeilo, an independent investigator.
Women and girls in Sudan struggle to receive psychological or medical support due to fear of retaliation and regular RSF and SAF attacks on hospitals.
Risk for Humanitarian Workers
Over 84 Sudanese humanitarian workers were killed and more were arbitrarily detained between April 2023 and April this year due to intentional attacks and kidnappings.
FFM is investigating a drone attack on a World Food Programme and UNICEF convoy in June, which killed five humanitarian workers and injured others.
Humanitarian aid continues to face delays and obstructions.
A ‘Roadmap for Justice’
“Our report not only exposes atrocities, it also lays out a roadmap for justice,” said FFM expert Mona Rishmawi.
The report outlines roles for warring parties, mediators, and civil society in ending the conflict.
Civil society initiatives, like the Sudanese youth-led “emergency rooms,” help restore basic human rights law throughout Sudan.
The report recommends that the international community enforce an arms embargo, support the International Criminal Court (ICC), and cease cooperation with those suspected of war crimes.
“The international community has the tools to act. Failure to do so would betray the Sudanese people and the foundations of international law,” said Mr. Othman.
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