A Special Security Council Session on Sudan Early Next Week

Sudan Horizon – Special – Maryam Abasher

A well-informed government source disclosed to the Sudanhorizon news site that the United Nations Security Council will hold a special session on Sudan next Monday, August 5th.

According to the informed source, the Security Council will listen to the periodic report of the International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor Karim Khan on the current situation in Darfur during the meeting.

Diplomatic sources indicate that Sudan’s permanent mission in New York will participate in the meeting and is expected to provide comments on the anticipated report of the Prosecutor.

In June, the ICC opened a new investigation into widespread violations in the Darfur region, classified by human rights organisations as war crimes, genocide, and crimes against humanity. Arrest warrants are expected to be issued for those accused of these crimes.

ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan made an urgent call on his (X) account for partners to provide any information confirming reports of crimes committed in the Darfur region and in the city of El Fasher, which is witnessing clashes between the army and Rapid Support Forces rebels.

Khan requested partners to supply the prosecution with evidence supporting the accusations, noting that evidence gathered by the ICC prosecution shows repeated atrocities and crimes against civilians, especially attacks targeting displaced persons’ camps, including sexual violence.

It is noteworthy that the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General issued a statement in the past two days highlighting the widespread violations committed by the Rapid Support Forces militia during her visit to refugee camps in Chad at the end of July.

According to a previous statement from the Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the accusations by the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative regarding sexual violations by the Rapid Support Forces were supported by field reports and testimonies from human rights organisations and international experts.