A leading human rights organization has called upon the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate alleged atrocities committed in Sudan's Darfur region. The organization's report centers on the alleged summary execution of 28 non-Arab tribesmen in May, attributed to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a Sudanese paramilitary group, and allied Arab militias.
According to the report, the RSF and their allies launched a violent attack on Misterei, a town predominantly inhabited by the non-Arab Massalit tribe, on May 28. The assault resulted in the deaths of dozens of civilians, including the 28 tribesmen. This incident occurred amidst the ongoing conflict between the RSF and the Sudanese army, a conflict that has pushed Sudan to the brink of civil war, according to the United Nations.
The human rights organization emphasized the urgent need for a strengthened international response to the escalating conflict in Sudan, citing the Misterei attack as a stark example of the widespread violence. They urged the ICC to investigate this incident and other similar events in Darfur as part of its ongoing investigation into the region's history of conflict, including the genocide of the early 2000s.
The Darfur conflict originated from long-standing grievances of discrimination held by African tribes against the Sudanese government. Their rebellion was met with a brutal military campaign, which the ICC later deemed to constitute genocide. The Janjaweed, state-backed Arab militias, were implicated in widespread atrocities, including killings and rapes. The Janjaweed subsequently evolved into the present-day RSF.
The current conflict between the RSF and the Sudanese army began in mid-April in Khartoum, the capital city, and later spread to other regions, including Darfur. The fighting in Darfur has been particularly intense.
The human rights organization's report details the attack on Misterei, describing how the RSF and allied militias, using motorcycles, trucks, and horses, surrounded the town and clashed with Massalit fighters. The attackers, equipped with sophisticated weaponry, reportedly killed men in their homes, on the streets, and in hiding places. They also looted property, stole livestock, and burned the town, forcing thousands of residents, including women and children, to flee under fire. The report includes eyewitness accounts of the violence.
The attackers also targeted those seeking refuge in schools and a mosque. The human rights organization documented the deaths of at least 40 civilians, while local officials reported a death toll of 97 in the May 28 attack. At least 59 victims were reportedly buried in mass graves.
Satellite imagery and fire detection data analysis reveal that Misterei and six other towns and villages in West Darfur were burned down over several weeks. Geneina, the capital of West Darfur, also suffered extensive fire damage.
The United Nations food agency reports a continuing exodus of residents fleeing the violence in Darfur, with over 20,000 refugees crossing into Chad in the past week alone. This brings the total number of people who have fled to Chad since mid-April to over 230,000 refugees and 38,000 returnees. The conflict has internally displaced approximately 3 million people, and over 700,000 have fled to neighboring countries.
Many of the arrivals in Chad are reportedly seriously wounded, and there are reports of fleeing civilians being deliberately targeted, with an increasing ethnic dimension to the violence. Humanitarian organizations are working to provide assistance to the displaced populations.
