Sudan’s Attorney General urges end to UN Mission, cites RSF death toll
September 10, 2024 (GENEVA) – Sudan’s Attorney General, Al-Fateh Tayfour, has called for the cessation of the United Nations Fact-Finding Mission’s mandate. He also accused the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group of killing more than 27,000 people since the conflict began in April 2023.
On Saturday, the Sudanese government rejected the recommendations of a Human Rights Council fact-finding mission, which called for the deployment of a neutral force to protect civilians in the ongoing war. The government accused the mission of being politically motivated and exceeding its mandate, citing the mission’s decision to publish its report and hold a press conference before presenting it to the Human Rights Council.
“The mandate of the Fact-Finding Mission should be terminated,” Tayfour urged, “and cooperation with regional countries must be strengthened to ensure access to victims and witnesses, the recovery of stolen goods, and the extradition of criminals.”
Speaking at an interactive dialogue session during the 57th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, the head of the Sudanese delegation, revealed that the National Committee for Investigating Crimes and Violations of National and International Humanitarian Law had declared 346 individuals fugitives, demanding they surrender to authorities. The committee has also reached out to six countries for the extradition of 16 suspects believed to be harboured abroad.
In October 2023, the UN Human Rights Council established the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission (FFM) for Sudan, giving it a one-year mandate.
Tayfour’s National Investigation Committee, formed by the Chairman of the Sovereign Council and the Army Commander, has faced accusations of politically motivated pursuits, particularly targeting members of the Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC) coalition, as well as activists and volunteers.
However, Tayfour emphasized the committee’s adherence to fair trial standards, noting that 18,741 cases had been registered. He added that some cases were filed against members of Sudan’s regular forces, with immunity lifted for certain individuals.
Of the registered cases, Tayfour said 43 had been dismissed during the investigation, while 273 cases had been sent to court. Of those, 144 cases have seen verdicts.
Allegations of RSF atrocities
Tayfour accused the RSF of committing widespread atrocities, including war crimes, genocide, and sexual violence. He claimed the RSF recruited 9,000 children, of whom 4,850 had died in combat, and that 966 civilians had fallen victim to rape and other sexual violence.
The attorney general reported that 27,594 deaths and 42,661 injuries resulted from RSF violations during the conflict. He detailed an alleged extrajudicial execution of 12 civilians by RSF forces in Omdurman’s Wad Nubawi neighbourhood, along with assaults on 36 prisons that led to the release of 19,481 inmates, some of whom had been convicted of terrorism and were subsequently recruited by the RSF.
He further accused the RSF of enlisting mercenaries from 12 countries, 105 of whom had been arrested by Sudanese authorities during the conflict. He cited attacks on seven civilian airports, 18 diplomatic missions, and international organizations’ headquarters.
The attorney general also alleged that the RSF had looted and occupied 540,000 civilian properties, with 80 per cent of the seized buildings being private homes. In addition, he reported that the RSF had damaged or looted 570,000 metric tons of food, medical, and relief supplies, desecrated over 1,000 mosques, and 51 churches, and attacked five museums and cultural heritage sites.
He said that 250 hospitals had been rendered nonoperational by paramilitary forces, 15 of which were reportedly used as military bases. Also, the RSF allegedly targeted 26 pharmaceutical factories and 20 banks and used wildlife reserves for drug cultivation.
The head of the government delegation called for the RSF to be classified as a terrorist organization and advocated for the establishment of a compensation fund for victims and those affected by the violence.
He also urged international pressure on the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to cease its support for the RSF and hold the Gulf country accountable for the damage inflicted on the Sudanese people. The UAE has denied Sudan’s allegations of supplying the RSF with weapons and military equipment.
(ST)