Sudan's attorney general calls for end to UN fact-finding mission

Sudan's Attorney General Al-Fateh Tayfour has called for an end to the United Nations fact-finding mission's mandate, according to the Sudan Tribune.

He also accused the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group of killing over 27,000 people since the conflict erupted in April 2023.

On Saturday, the Sudanese government rejected the recommendations of a Human Rights Council fact-finding mission, which had called for the deploying of a neutral force to protect civilians amid the ongoing war.

The government criticised the mission for being politically motivated and overstepping its mandate, especially for publishing its report and holding a press conference before presenting it to the Human Rights Council.

"The mandate of the fact-finding mission should be terminated and cooperation with regional countries must be strengthened to ensure access to victims and witnesses, the recovery of stolen goods, and the extradition of criminals," Tayfour said.

During an interactive dialogue session at the 57th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, Tayfour, leading the Sudanese delegation, revealed that the National Committee for Investigating Crimes and Violations of National and International Humanitarian Law had declared 346 individuals as fugitives and demanded they surrender to authorities.

The committee has also sought the extradition of 16 suspects believed to be hiding in six different countries.

The UN Human Rights Council established the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission (FFM) for Sudan in October 2023 with a one-year mandate.

Tayfour's National Investigation Committee, formed by the chairman of the Sovereign Council and the army commander, has been criticised for pursuing politically motivated investigations, especially against members of the Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC) coalition, as well as activists and volunteers.

Tayfour, however, defended the committee's actions, emphasising its adherence to fair trial standards.

He reported that 18,741 cases had been registered, with some filed against members of Sudan's regular forces, where immunity had been lifted for certain individuals.

Of the registered cases, 43 had been dismissed during investigations, while 273 had been sent to court. Of those, 144 cases have resulted in verdicts.

He accused the RSF of widespread atrocities, including war crimes, genocide, and sexual violence.

He claimed that the RSF had recruited 9,000 children, with 4,850 of them allegedly dying in combat, and that 966 civilians had been victims of rape and other sexual violence.

The attorney general reported that RSF violations had caused 27,594 deaths and 42,661 injuries during the conflict.

He cited an alleged extrajudicial execution of 12 civilians by RSF forces in the Wad Nubawi neighbourhood of Omdurman and attacks on 36 prisons, which led to the release of 19,481 inmates, including some convicted of terrorism, who were then recruited by the RSF.

He further accused the RSF of enlisting mercenaries from 12 countries, 105 of whom had been arrested by Sudanese authorities during the conflict. He also highlighted attacks on seven civilian airports, 18 diplomatic missions, and the headquarters of international organizations.

Tayfour claimed that the RSF had looted and occupied 540,000 civilian properties, 80 per cent of which were private homes. He also reported that the RSF had destroyed or stolen 570,000 metric tonnes of food, medical, and relief supplies, desecrated over 1,000 mosques and 51 churches, and attacked five museums and cultural heritage sites.

He noted that RSF forces had rendered 250 hospitals non-operational, with 15 reportedly used as military bases. Additionally, the RSF allegedly targeted 26 pharmaceutical factories and 20 banks and used wildlife reserves for drug cultivation.

The head of Sudan's government delegation called for the RSF to be classified as a terrorist organisation and proposed establishing a compensation fund for victims and those affected by the violence. He also urged the international community to pressure the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to end its support for the RSF and hold it accountable for the harm done to the Sudanese people. The UAE has denied Sudan's accusations of supplying the RSF with weapons and military equipment.