The International Criminal Court (ICC) has announced that it is actively collecting evidence of alleged mass killings and sexual violence following the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) capture of al-Fashir, the last remaining military stronghold in Sudan’s Darfur region.
In a statement released on Monday, ICC prosecutors confirmed they are taking “immediate steps to preserve and collect relevant evidence” for possible future prosecutions. The development marks a renewed focus on Darfur, where the court has been investigating allegations of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity since 2005, following a U.N. Security Council referral.
The fall of al-Fashir has triggered a mass exodus of civilians, with more than 70,000 people fleeing the city, according to humanitarian reports. Survivors have described to Reuters the separation and execution of men attempting to escape, while the fate of nearly 200,000 residents still trapped inside remains unclear.
Experts warn that the violence bears disturbing similarities to the genocidal campaigns carried out in Darfur two decades ago. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has echoed these concerns, saying the RSF’s control of al-Fashir which effectively gives it command over more than a quarter of Sudan signals a tragic repeat of history.
Last month, the ICC secured a historic conviction against the first Janjaweed militia leader tried for atrocities committed during the early 2000s Darfur conflict, setting a precedent for future prosecutions related to ongoing crimes.
The ICC, headquartered in The Hague, holds jurisdiction to prosecute war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide, and, in certain circumstances, acts of aggression provided they occur on the territory of a member state, are committed by its nationals, or are referred by the United Nations Security Council.
As the humanitarian situation in Darfur deteriorates, the ICC’s latest move underscores growing international concern over renewed atrocities and mass displacement in Sudan’s ongoing civil war.
