KEY POINTSÂ
- U.N. accuses both Sudanese army and RSF of war crimes.
- U.N. calls for peacekeepers and a broader arms embargo.
- Millions of civilians face famine, displacement, and disease amid the conflict.
The United Nations has demanded the deployment of peacekeepers and an enhancement of the already existing arms ban in Sudan following allegations of rights violations by both sides in the civil war business. In a fact-finding mission by the U.N., there have been documented cases of human rights abuses such as use of force on civilians, torture, and disruptions by the Sudanese army and the RSF.
War Crimes and Urgent Need for Intervention
The U.N. report, based on 182 interviews with survivors and witnesses, detailed various abuses in Sudan’s 17-month-long conflict. These include war crimes committed by both the Sudanese military and RSF. The findings underline an urgent need for international intervention to protect civilians, according to Mohamed Chande Othman, the head of the fact-finding mission.
Othman called for the immediate deployment of an independent peacekeeping force to prevent further atrocities. The report also urged an expansion of the existing U.N. arms embargo, currently limited to Darfur, to cover all regions of Sudan, where the conflict has spread to 14 out of 18 states.
Neither the Sudanese army nor the RSF responded to the U.N. report, continuing a pattern of denying past accusations while blaming each other for abuses.
Allegations of Sexual Slavery and Child Soldiers
The U.N. mission further highlighted war crimes committed by RSF and affiliated militias, including sexual slavery and the use of child soldiers. These acts add to the growing list of human rights violations linked to the war, which has displaced millions and plunged Sudan into a humanitarian crisis.
The U.N. attempted to contact Sudanese authorities for comment on the findings, but they remained silent. The war began in April 2023 when competition for power between the army and the RSF escalated into full-scale fighting. Despite international efforts to mediate peace, the conflict has only worsened, with civilians bearing the brunt of the violence.
Call for International Response
With millions facing famine, displacement, and disease, global pressure to act has intensified. U.S.-led mediators recently brokered an agreement for improved humanitarian aid access in Sudan. However, the absence of the Sudanese army in these talks has stalled progress, according to diplomatic sources.
The U.N. Human Rights Council, which established the fact-finding mission in 2023, is expected to consider renewing its mandate next week. Countries including the U.S. and Britain are pushing for this renewal, though opposition from Sudan is likely as it considers the war an internal matter.
The findings are significant in the growing concern for the international interference in the conflict, especially with the advocates for a stronger United Nations peacekeeping force and stricter measures towards arms trade.
Source: Reuters
