The International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, has launched an urgent investigation into alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in al-Fashir, a city in Darfur, Sudan.
The area has become a new battleground between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
In a video statement, Khan expressed grave concern over reports of widespread international crimes occurring in al-Fashir and its surroundings.
His office is actively investigating these allegations with a sense of urgency.
Reports suggest ethnically-motivated attacks against civilians, widespread instances of rape, and assaults on hospitals.
Khan urged anyone with evidence, including video or audio material, to come forward and submit it to his office.
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Al-Fashir, located in northwestern Sudan’s Darfur region, is home to over 1.8 million residents and displaced individuals.
It has become a focal point in the conflict between the Sudanese army and the RSF, a conflict that began in April 2023.
The ICC has the authority to prosecute war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide, and, in some cases, the crime of aggression.
This authority extends to crimes committed on the territory of ICC member states or by nationals of ICC members.
Additionally, the ICC can have jurisdiction through a referral by the United Nations Security Council, as was the case with Darfur in 2005.
Earlier this year, the ICC prosecutor informed the UN Security Council that he believed war crimes were being committed in Darfur by government troops and the RSF in El Geneina.
