Sudan calls for end to UN probe on war crimes
The fact-finding mission, created by the UN Human Rights Council in October 2023, was tasked with investigating alleged war crimes committed by both the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the rival paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The government of Sudan has called for the termination of a United Nations (UN) fact-finding mission probing human rights violations in the country's ongoing war.
Justice Minister Abdallah Diraf announced the move on Monday after holding talks with UN Independent Expert Radhouane Nouicer in Port Sudan. According to Diraf, Sudan no longer wants the fact-finding team operating in the country.
The fact-finding mission, created by the UN Human Rights Council in October 2023, was tasked with investigating alleged war crimes committed by both the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the rival paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
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Ever since fighting erupted on April 15, 2023, Sudan has been locked in a brutal power struggle between the national army, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and RSF, commanded by General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, widely known as Hemedti.
The war has killed tens of thousands, forced over 13 million people from their homes, and triggered what the International Rescue Committee has called the worst humanitarian crisis ever recorded.
However, Sudan's military leaders have opposed the fact-finding mission, saying it interferes with national sovereignty and paints an unfair picture of the government's war efforts.
On Monday, Abdallah maintained the same stance, rejecting the UN's concerns about recent arrests of anti-war activists and the use of the death penalty against suspected RSF supporters. He added that the alleged accusations lack specific details and proof.
"Open talk about violations without detailed information is unacceptable and unhelpful," Abdallah said, according to The Sudan Tribune.
He likewise defended Sudan's judicial system, insisting that death sentences issued for crimes such as treason followed all legal procedures.
Abdallah also renewed calls for the RSF to be internationally designated as a terrorist group, accusing regional actors, including the UAE and Chad, of arming the militia contrary to UN resolutions. Both countries have previously denied involvement in Sudan's war.
Further, he criticised the international community for what he described as a weak humanitarian response, noting that Sudan has received just 16 per cent of the emergency aid it urgently needs, as hunger and displacement continue to rise across the country.
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