Geneva — A body set up by the United Nations said on Friday that Sudan's warring parties have committed "an appalling range" of human rights violations and international crimes, including many which may amount to war crimes.
The UN's Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for the Sudan said in its first report that both the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), as well as their respective allies, were found to be responsible.
They were found to have committed large-scale violations, including indiscriminate and direct attacks carried out through airstrikes and shelling against civilians, schools, hospitals, communication networks, and vital water and electricity supplies.
"The gravity of these findings underscores the urgent and immediate action to protect civilians," said Mohamed Chande Othman, Chair of the Fact-Finding Mission.
warring parties also targeted civilians
"Given the failure of the warring parties to spare civilians, it is imperative that an independent and impartial force with a mandate to safeguard civilians be deployed without delay."
The mission chair said that the protection of the civilian population is paramount, and all parties must comply with their obligations under international law and immediately and unconditionally cease all attacks on the civilian population.
The fact-finding mission found that the warring parties also targeted civilians – including those assisting survivors or documenting violations – through rape and other forms of sexual violence, arbitrary arrest and detention, as well as torture and ill-treatment.
'War crimes'
"These violations may amount to war crimes related to violence to life and person and committing outrages upon personal dignity," the report found.
The report also found reasonable grounds to believe that RSF and its allied militias committed the additional war crimes of rape, sexual slavery, and pillage, as well as ordering the displacement of the civilian population and the recruitment of children below 15 in hostilities.
Appalling assaults carried by the RSF and its allies against non-Arab communities – in particular the Masalit in and around El Geneina, West Darfur – included killings, torture, rape, other forms of sexual violence, destruction of property, and pillage.
US-led talks in Switzerland in August had locked in some assurances from the warring parties to improve humanitarian aid access.
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Still, the absence of the SAF from the discussions had hobbled progress.
barely scratching the surface of what Sudanese people deserve
"We hope that this will be a source of momentum for much bigger steps and progress down the road," US special envoy for Tom Perriello had said at a press conference in Geneva on Aug 23.
"The sad thing is, the crisis in Sudan is so severe that we could do four of these (negotiation rounds) and still be barely scratching the surface of what Sudanese people deserve."
The Aligned held ten days of talks for the Advancing Lifesaving and Peace in Sudan (ALPS) group, which included Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, and the United Arab Emirates.
They tried to gain more aid and protection for people facing famine, mass displacement, and increasing disease after 16 months of war.
"Though we were in consistent communication with SAF (Sudanese Armed Forces) virtually, we regret their decision not to be present, and we believe that limited our ability to make more substantial progress towards key issues, particularly a national cessation of hostilities," ALPS had said.
