Rights groups urge U.N. to extend Sudan atrocities investigation

August 18, 2025 (KHARTOUM) – Nearly 100 Sudanese and international organizations on Monday urged the United Nations Human Rights Council to extend the mandate of its Sudan fact-finding mission, demanding its findings be sent to the Security Council to ensure accountability for atrocities.

In a joint statement ahead of the council’s September session, prominent groups including Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and the Darfur Bar Association said the mission was critical as Sudan stands “on the brink of collapse.”

The organizations called on the council to not only renew the mission’s mandate but also to recommend that its reports be referred to the U.N. Security Council for action. They also urged the Security Council to expand the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) jurisdiction to cover the entire country.

The appeal comes as the conflict between Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has killed tens of thousands, displaced over 10 million people, and triggered a catastrophic humanitarian crisis.

“As the war continues unabated… Sudan stands on the brink of collapse, portending disastrous consequences for civilians,” the statement said, accusing all warring parties of a “complete disregard for international humanitarian law.”

The statement catalogued a range of abuses, including deliberate attacks on civilians, mass killings, torture, enforced disappearances, and rampant sexual violence, particularly against women and girls.

The U.N. mission, established in October 2023, had its mandate extended last year despite objections from the Sudanese government, which has refused to allow investigators into the country. The groups stated that despite the access ban, the mission has continued its work effectively by interviewing sources remotely, verifying video evidence, and preparing files on potential perpetrators.