Justice Minister: All Legal Criteria for Designating the RSF as a Terrorist Organization Are Available
Cairo – Sudanhorizon-Sabah Moussa
Sudanese Justice Minister, Dr. Abdullah Darf, has stated that since the outbreak of war in April 2023, the Sudanese government has been alerting the international community to the systematic crimes committed by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) throughout the country.
He has stressed that these crimes followed a consistent pattern in Gezira State and its villages before spreading to the Darfur region, particularly El Geneina and El Fasher.
In an exclusive statement to Sudanhorizon news website, Darf explained that the RSF committed grave violations, including mass killings and burying victims alive. He asserted that the international community’s silence has encouraged the continuation of these crimes, noting that the militia has maintained its siege of El Fasher for over 550 days, despite a UN Security Council resolution calling for the lifting of the siege, which has yet to be implemented.
He added that the Sudanese government has presented a wide range of evidence to the international community, including reports from the UN Security Council’s Panel of Experts and reports from international organizations that clearly document these violations. However, he said that what he termed a “deterrent message” has not yet been received, which has led to the continuation and diversification of these crimes.
The Minister of Justice affirmed that all the necessary legal requirements and descriptions for classifying the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) as a terrorist organization are now in place. He stressed that what remains is the will of the international community to take a clear decision in this direction, and that the shortest path forward is to stop external support for the militia, particularly the support coming from the Abu Dhabi government.
Darf pointed out that the recent report issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) was based on a referral from the Security Council concerning the Darfur region. He explained that it contained data and evidence suitable for presentation before the court, even though Sudan is not a state party to the Rome Statute. He emphasized that the ICC has the authority to issue arrest warrants against RSF leaders.
In the same context, the Minister of Justice stressed that Sudan is cooperating with all international human rights mechanisms, including the Human Rights Council and the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Sudan, within a framework of coordination aimed at protecting civilians and promoting human rights principles.
Darf pointed out to the most recent visit of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, to Sudan, describing it as a message of solidarity with the Sudanese people in light of escalating violations, particularly in El Fasher.
He praised Türk’s statements before the Human Rights Council, in which he described the war in Sudan as a “proxy war for resources,” considering this description “accurate and expressive” of the nature of the conflict.
He explained that the High Commissioner listened to firsthand accounts from displaced people in Ad-Dabbah during his visit, anticipating that these testimonies would contribute to a strong report reflecting the scale of the violations. He reiterated his call for the international community to take decisive action, foremost among which is designating the Rapid Support Forces “ a terrorist organization” and halting all forms of support for them.
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