UN Reports Detail War Crimes in DRC and Sudan
A new report from a United Nations fact-finding mission has identified widespread human rights abuses and potential war crimes by all sides in the conflicts in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Sudan.
The investigators found that civilians are suffering the highest price, with all warring parties accused of acts that may constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity, including summary executions, widespread sexual violence, and deliberate attacks on civilians, Arab News reported. The findings underscore the urgent need for international and governmental action to ensure accountability and protect civilians.
In eastern DR Congo, UN investigators concluded that the Rwanda-backed M23 militia, as well as the Congolese military and its affiliates, have all committed gross rights violations since late 2024. The M23 is believed to have committed crimes against humanity, including murder, torture, rape, and sexual slavery. The report also documents grave violations by the DRC’s armed forces and groups like the Wazalendo, including deliberate killings and looting. The UN Human Rights Council’s probe highlighted the failure of all parties to protect civilians and urged the Congolese and Rwandan governments to cease supporting armed groups and ensure respect for international law.
In Sudan, a separate UN fact-finding mission determined that the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have committed numerous crimes against humanity, particularly during their siege of El-Fasher in Darfur. The report accuses the RSF of murder, torture, forced displacement, and using starvation as a method of warfare by depriving civilians of food, medicine, and relief supplies. It also found evidence of war crimes by both the RSF and the regular Sudanese army. Mission chief Mohamed Chande Othman stated that the deliberate targeting of civilians amounts to war crimes. The mission has called for international action to bring those responsible to justice, emphasizing that accountability is a “legal and moral imperative” to prevent further atrocities.
