Darfur a ‘crisis of humanity’ as ICC warns in 41st UN report

The 41st report of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to the United Nations Security Council, was published yesterday, detailing ongoing war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur, and warning that the scale of atrocities demands urgent international action.

The ICC said it has “reasonable grounds to believe” that such crimes “continue to be committed in Darfur” amid 27 months of devastating conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which has driven Sudan into one of the most severe humanitarian crises on record.

The Prosecutor’s Office confirmed it had gathered “extensive testimonial, digital and documentary evidence” through its Darfur Unified Team, drawing on survivor accounts from eastern Chad and neighbouring countries. 

The Court is focusing on atrocities allegedly committed in West Darfur in 2023, including mass killings, pillaging, gender-based violence, and attacks on camps for displaced people.

“What is happening in Sudan is not only a humanitarian crisis,” said one expert from the UN Fact-Finding Mission for Sudan. “It is a crisis of humanity itself.”

Despite limited cooperation from Sudanese authorities, who allowed ICC investigators into Port Sudan in April, the Court stressed the need for greater support, especially in securing the arrest of indicted suspects Omar Al Bashir, Abdelrahim Hussein, and Ahmed Harun.

The ICC is also awaiting judgment in the trial of Ali Kushayb, the first trial stemming from the Darfur situation. The Prosecutor called the case “a crucial milestone,” demonstrating that “justice can be achieved through collective action.”

Resource shortages, restricted access to Darfur, and slow responses from states have hindered progress, the report warned. The Court called for swifter cooperation, greater support for witness access, and a renewed international commitment to accountability.

“The lives of Darfuris have equal value to those of all people,” the Office stated. “Delivering justice is not optional — it is a promise made through Resolution 1593 and one the international community must uphold.”

Read the full report here: FORTY-FIRST REPORT OF THE PROSECUTOR OF THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT TO THE UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL PURSUANT TO RESOLUTION 1593 (2005)