ALBAWABA - The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court Karim Khan told the U.N. Security Council in a remote briefing that he believes war crimes have been committed by warring parties in the Darfur region since fighting erupted over 10 months ago.
During the briefing, Khan said that through a clear assessment, there are grounds to believe that presently Rome Statute crimes are being committed in Darfur by both the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and affiliated groups.
"The alleged atrocities that have taken place in El Geneina form a central line of investigations that my office is pursuing at this current moment. I can confirm to the council that we are collecting a very significant body of material, information, and evidence that is relevant to those particular crimes".
The United Nations and human rights organizations have expressed deep concern regarding the ethnic attacks on Masalit people in West Darfur, which have killed hundreds of civilians since fighting broke out nine months ago between Sudan's army chief, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti), head of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. There has also been widespread looting, village destruction, and sexual violence.
Efforts to end the fighting have been fruitless so far, despite regional efforts by the African Union and the East African regional bloc IGAD, as well as the United States, European Union, Saudi Arabia, and some of Sudan's neighbors.
Khan told Security Council members that despite a promise from Burhan, whom he met in New York in September on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly meetings, he has received little cooperation from the Sudanese regime.
"Thirty-five requests for assistance remain unanswered by the government of Sudan," Khan told Reuters.
The only progress he reported was the issuance of single-entry visas for his team members in December and January, following months of requests for multiple-entry visas. He also stated that Khartoum has designated someone to be the point of contact for his office.
