ICC Seeks Arrest Warrants Over Darfur Atrocities Amid Rising Violence

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The International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor Karim Khan announced that he is pursuing arrest warrants for individuals accused of committing genocide and other atrocities in Sudan's Darfur region. Speaking to the UN Security Council, Khan reported an alarming increase in criminal activity, including targeted violence against civilians and widespread sexual violence against women and girls, according to verified evidence.

Sudan has been embroiled in conflict since mid-April 2023, following clashes between military and paramilitary leaders in the capital, Khartoum, that have spread throughout the country. Khan emphasized the grim similarities to previous conflicts in the region, pointing out that "the pattern of crimes" and the affected communities today closely mirror those from two decades ago when severe violence erupted in Darfur.

Moreover, Khan highlighted recent legal progress with the trial of Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-al-Rahman, a Janjaweed leader accused of war crimes. The prosecutor's statements coincide with increased condemnation of violence from global leaders, including UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who denounced a recent attack on a hospital in El Fasher, resulting in numerous fatalities.

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