20 Years Later: Darfur Faces Another Humanitarian Disaster as ICC Seeks Justice
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has announced plans to issue arrest warrants for those responsible for war crimes in Sudan’s West Darfur region. The ICC prosecutor Karim Khan confirmed this decision on Monday, emphasizing that these crimes are being committed daily and are used as weapons of war.
This comes years after the UN Security Council, in Resolution 1593 (2005), referred the situation in Darfur to the ICC, paving the way for investigations and prosecutions.
Violence Intensifies in Darfur: Dozens Killed in Drone Attack
The violent power struggle between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), ongoing since April 2023, has engulfed Darfur, with recent reports confirming dozens killed in a drone attack on the Saudi Hospital in El-Fasher, further endangering countless civilians and threatening the stability of an already fragile region.
“If politics and division can be silenced for a moment and we focus on people that are innocent and vulnerable, hopefully, we will hear the cries of the people of Darfur to justice,” Khan said in his statement.
Disturbing Parallels to 2000s Genocide in Darfur
Disturbing parallels are emerging between the current violence in Darfur and the atrocities of the early 2000s.
During that period, the Sudanese government and Janjaweed militias, now largely incorporated into the RSF, committed atrocities that, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) and UN estimates, may have led to as many as 300,000 deaths and the displacement of 2 million people.
Reports suggest that the same communities are suffering again, with similar tactics being employed.
There are “very clear echoes” of what transpired 20 years ago, ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan told the council on Monday.
Millions of Children Among 8.8 Million Displaced in Sudan
The scale of displacement in Sudan is staggering. An estimated 8.8 million individuals have been displaced internally, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) as of Jan. 21, 2025.
The IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) Sudan Mobility Update (14) also noted that the top three states of origin for IDPs are Khartoum (31%), South Darfur (18%), and North Darfur (15%), while the highest proportions are hosted in South Darfur (16%), North Darfur (15%), and River Nile (9%) states.
More than half (53%) of all IDPs are children under 18, and in addition to internal displacement, an estimated 3.4 million people have crossed international borders into neighboring countries since April 15.
International Community Calls for Justice and Accountability
Khan’s announcement has sparked strong calls for accountability from the international community. Michael Imran Kanu, Sierra Leone’s Permanent Representative to the UN, urged Sudan to cooperate with the ICC to ensure justice for the victims.
The ICC’s efforts to issue arrest warrants for Darfur war crimes face significant obstacles, as Sudan has yet to comply with its international obligations fully.
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