U.N.-backed human rights investigators have called for the establishment of an independent and impartial force to protect civilians in Sudan's ongoing conflict. Both sides have been accused of committing war crimes, including murder, mutilation, and torture. The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and its allies have been implicated in crimes against humanity such as rape, sexual slavery, and persecution based on ethnicity or gender.
The fact-finding team, created by the U.N.'s main human rights body, highlighted the urgent need to end the fighting in Sudan to prevent further suffering of the population. The experts recommended expanding the arms embargo on Sudan to cover the entire country, emphasizing the dire humanitarian situation in the region.
With over 10 million people displaced, including millions fleeing to neighboring countries, and reports of famine in Darfur, the conflict has taken a devastating toll. The experts stressed the importance of halting the bloodshed, displacement, and food crisis that have plagued Sudan for years.
The team's report called for the deployment of an independent force with a mandate to protect civilians in Sudan, as the parties involved have failed to ensure the safety of the population. The experts also urged an immediate halt to the flow of weapons and support to any side, warning that those supplying arms could be complicit in human rights violations.
Conflict-related sexual violence, particularly targeting women and girls, was highlighted as a longstanding issue in Sudan. The team gathered testimonies from survivors, relatives, and witnesses to document the atrocities that have unfolded across the country.
While recent talks aimed at facilitating aid to Sudan showed some progress, the lack of participation from Sudan's armed forces remains a concern. The international community, including the U.S., Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the UAE, the African Union, and the United Nations, has been involved in mediation efforts.
The fact-finding team's report serves to raise awareness of the human rights abuses and violations in Sudan, shedding light on the world's worst humanitarian crisis. The team emphasized the need for further investigation into the countries supplying weapons and funding to the conflicting parties to address the root causes of the protracted war in Sudan.
