The International Criminal Court’s Deputy Prosecutor Nazhat Shameem Khan told the UN Security Council on Monday that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) oversaw “an organised, calculated campaign” of mass atrocities during the capture of El Fasher in October 2025.
Speaking virtually from The Hague, Khan said the ICC is intensifying efforts to establish individual criminal responsibility for crimes committed in El Fasher, North Darfur, in 2025, and in El Geneina, West Darfur, in 2023.
“Profound Suffering Targeting Non-Arab Communities”
“The fall of El Fasher to the RSF has been accompanied by an organised, calculated campaign of the most profound suffering targeting non-Arab communities, in particular rape, arbitrary detention, executions, [and] mass graves all perpetrated on a massive scale,” Khan said while presenting the ICC’s latest report on the situation in Darfur.
Based on video, audio, and satellite data collected during the reporting period, the ICC Office of the Prosecutor has assessed that war crimes and crimes against humanity were committed in El Fasher, particularly in late October as the 18-month siege culminated in the city’s capture.
Pattern of Atrocities and Mass Graves
Khan described video evidence analyzed by her office showing a pattern of atrocities similar to what the RSF had previously been accused of in other parts of Darfur.
“Members of the RSF are seen celebrating direct executions and subsequently desecrating corpses,” she told the Security Council.
The prosecutor said her team is working to determine who is responsible for the crimes, suggesting that her office is preparing arrest warrant applications in connection with the situation in El Fasher.
The evidence collected includes satellite images showing incidents of mass killing and attempts to conceal crimes through mass graves.
“The picture that is emerging is appalling, organised, widespread mass criminality, including mass executions, atrocities which are used as a tool to assert control,” Khan said.
Progress on El Geneina Investigation
Khan reported “significant progress” on the investigation into the situation in El Geneina, West Darfur, which was the site of massacres that killed thousands of civilians in 2023.
The prosecutor emphasized that the ICC is prioritizing gender-based crimes in its investigative strategy.
“It is undeniable that sexual violence, including rape, is being used as a tool of war in Darfur,” she said.
The prosecutor’s office has been engaging communities and working with UN partners to document sexual and gender-based crimes in Darfur. However, Khan noted that social stigma and fear of reprisals create “significant barriers” to reporting. The ICC is therefore expanding its gender-sensitive outreach and ensuring investigators are culturally informed and competent.
Documentation from El Fasher
Multiple eyewitnesses have described how the RSF killed fleeing civilians and carried out door-to-door killings when it took El Fasher in October 2025. Fighters also reportedly took blood from civilians trying to escape the city.
Denise Brown, the UN’s Sudan chief, described El Fasher as a “crime scene” after visiting multiple times over the past two weeks.
“There’s a pattern of atrocities that have been carried out in Sudan,” Brown said. “World leaders need to work out how to interrupt that pattern before the next one takes place.”
SAF Also Under Investigation
Khan also indicated that her office is investigating alleged crimes by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) in Darfur.
“We are also aware that there are reports of Rome Statute crimes allegedly committed by the Sudanese armed forces in Darfur, and we are ensuring documentation of such reports,” she said.
“All parties involved in the conflict must ensure they meet their obligations under international law, and must not target civilian populations and facilities.”
Context: Sudan’s War
The war in Sudan, which has been raging since April 2023, has triggered what the UN calls the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. Fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF has killed thousands, displaced nearly 13 million people, and pushed over 40 percent of the population into acute food insecurity.
US Sanctions on ICC Deputy Prosecutor
Khan delivered her remarks to the UN Security Council virtually because she was denied a US visa. The deputy prosecutor, who is from Fiji, was sanctioned by the US in August 2024, along with fellow deputy prosecutor Mame Mandiaye Niang from Senegal.
The Trump administration accused them of being instrumental in efforts to “investigate, arrest, detain or prosecute” American or Israeli officials. The sanctions included a travel ban to the US, asset freezing, and effectively blocking their access to much of the global financial system.
Despite previously granting Khan a visa in November 2025 to brief the Security Council on Libya, the Office of the Prosecutor confirmed that this time she was denied entry to deliver her remarks on Sudan.
The Path to Accountability
The ICC’s intensified investigation and preparation of arrest warrant applications represent critical steps toward accountability for mass atrocities in Sudan. The court’s focus on individual criminal responsibility means that those who ordered, planned, and executed attacks on civilians may face justice.
For survivors in El Fasher, El Geneina, and across Darfur, the ICC’s work provides hope that perpetrators will be held accountable and that their suffering will be documented and recognized by the international community.
The Darfur Network for Human Rights continues to document violations and support accountability efforts, including cooperation with international justice mechanisms.