New York, July 16 (Darfur24)
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has warned that the atrocities committed in Darfur two decades ago could be repeated in El Obeid, saying the same patterns of crimes are re-emerging and urging the international community to act before further violations occur.
Speaking during a semi-annual briefing to the UN Security Council, ICC Deputy Prosecutor Nazhat Shamim Khan said the Office of the Prosecutor has made “real and tangible” progress in its Darfur investigations by linking crimes to alleged perpetrators through new evidence and witness testimonies.
Khan said the ICC shares the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights’ concern that the gravest international crimes could soon occur in El Obeid.
“We cannot say that we did not know,” she told the Security Council, urging member states to take immediate action to prevent further atrocities.
She said she recently visited refugee camps in eastern Chad, where survivors from Darfur described killings, rape, sexual violence, and the lasting psychological trauma caused by the conflict.
According to Khan, many refugees said they feel abandoned by the international community and believe their suffering has not received an adequate response.
She said the testimonies reveal the same patterns of widespread crimes that prompted the UN Security Council to refer the Darfur situation to the ICC in 2005, warning that intimidation, humiliation, and attacks against civilians continue while many fear worse violence lies ahead.
Khan said the prosecution remains committed to pursuing those most responsible for crimes committed in El Fasher in 2025, El Geneina in 2023, and earlier atrocities in Darfur.
She said the conviction of former Janjaweed leader Ali Kushayb has given victims renewed hope for justice and called for continued support to the ICC’s Trust Fund for Victims to provide reparations.
Khan concluded that the progress made in the investigations sends a clear message that those who plan, order, or support attacks on civilians will be held accountable and that impunity will not prevail