After visiting Sudan from 7-11th September, David Miliband said, "Sudan is top of the IRC’s 2025 Emergency Watchlist for good reason. 30 million people - over half of Sudan’s population - are in humanitarian need and this week I got to meet some of them in River Nile state. ... "Like many of our clients, many of our 400 national staff are part of the largest displacement crisis in the world. The war, now in its third year, is a catastrophe of staggering proportions: the world’s largest hunger crisis, largest humanitarian crisis, largest displacement crisis, and yet one too often put in the “too difficult” box by global politics. The scale of suffering should jolt the conscience of the international community. Instead, this crisis is one of the most underfunded worldwide, and has been met by diplomatic stasis. ... "The international community cannot continue to look away. Last year, of the 16,000 words uttered by the permanent members of the UN Security Council at the opening plenary of the UN General Assembly, the word “Sudan” was only mentioned 8 times. As we approach this year’s UNGA, Sudan must move from the margins of diplomatic discussion to the center of the agenda. That means unified pressure behind a single peace track, meaningful action to protect civilians and humanitarian access, and—critically—new, flexible funding to meet the scale of need. Sudanese civilians are paying the price of international inaction. The time to stand with them is now. View full statement:https://www.rescue.org/press-release/sudan-statement-david-miliband-president-and-ceo-international-rescue-committee _______ Careers The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises. Its global staff of over 20,000 spans more than 40 countries and 133 nationalities. https://careers.rescue.org/us/en Jobs - Search All IRC Vacancies https://careers.rescue.org/us/en/search-results
ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan told the Security Council in January that there were grounds to believe both government forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Force, may be committing war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide in Darfur.
Deputy prosecutor Shameem Khan, who is not related, said the ICC has closely tracked reports in recent weeks of the dire situation in North Darfur, whose capital El Fasher is besieged by RSF and their affiliates.
The RSF, which controls the capitals of all other states in Darfur, has also attacked famine-hit Zamzam and other camps for displaced Sudanese in North Darfur.
“On the basis of our independent investigations, the position of our office is clear, we have reasonable grounds to believe that war crimes and crimes against humanity have been and are continuing to be committed in Darfur,” Khan told the council.
This conclusion, she said, is based on documentary, testimonial and digital evidence collected by ICC investigators during the past six months, including at refugee camps in neighboring Chad. Over 7,000 items of evidence have been collected to date, she said.
Khan emphasized to the council and to victims that the ICC considers the situation in Darfur “of the utmost importance” and will not be deterred until justice is delivered to the perpetrators.
Khan said those in Darfur now “inflicting unimaginable atrocities on its population” should know that while they may feel a sense of impunity, Janjaweed leader Ali Kushayb is currently on trial and the ICC hopes it will be the first of many.
“However, we also have a duty of confidentiality to the court,” Khan said. “I am not able to share more details of the nature of our progress or of specific outcomes hoped for. I can only assure you that the progress we have made is concrete, positive and significant.”
Read more in this report from The Associated Press BY EDITH M. LEDERER Dated 11 July 2025; 12:22 AM BST - full copy:
ICC believes war crimes and crimes against humanity are taking place now in Sudan’s Darfur region
The United Nations flag flies on a stormy day at the U.N. during the United Nations General Assembly, Sept. 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey, File)
This June 2023 photo provided by the World Food Program shows internally displaced persons at the Wad Almajzoub farm camp in Wad Medani, Gezira state, Sudan. (Ala Kheir/U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs via AP)
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The International Criminal Court believes war crimes and crimes against humanity are continuing to take place in Sudan’s vast western Darfur region where civil war has raged for more than two years, the tribunal’s deputy prosecutor said Thursday.
Nazhat Shameem Khan told the U.N. Security Council that the depth of suffering and the humanitarian crisis in Darfur “has reached an intolerable state,” with famine escalating and hospitals, humanitarian convoys and other civilian infrastructure being targeted.
“People are being deprived of water and food,” she said. “Rape and sexual violence are being weaponized. Abductions for ransom or to bolster the ranks of armed groups have become common practice.”
“And yet we should not be under any illusion,” Shameem Khan warned the U.N.’s most powerful body. “Things can still get worse.”
Sudan plunged into conflict in mid-April 2023, when long-simmering tensions between its military and paramilitary leaders broke out in the capital, Khartoum, and spread to other regions, including Darfur. Some 40,000 people have been killed and nearly 13 million displaced, including to other countries, according to U.N. agencies.
ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan told the Security Council in January that there were grounds to believe both government forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Force, may be committing war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide in Darfur.
Deputy prosecutor Shameem Khan, who is not related, said the ICC has closely tracked reports in recent weeks of the dire situation in North Darfur, whose capital El Fasher is besieged by RSF and their affiliates.
The RSF, which controls the capitals of all other states in Darfur, has also attacked famine-hit Zamzam and other camps for displaced Sudanese in North Darfur.
“On the basis of our independent investigations, the position of our office is clear, we have reasonable grounds to believe that war crimes and crimes against humanity have been and are continuing to be committed in Darfur,” Khan told the council.
This conclusion, she said, is based on documentary, testimonial and digital evidence collected by ICC investigators during the past six months, including at refugee camps in neighboring Chad. Over 7,000 items of evidence have been collected to date, she said.
Khan emphasized to the council and to victims that the ICC considers the situation in Darfur “of the utmost importance” and will not be deterred until justice is delivered to the perpetrators.
Two decades ago, Darfur became synonymous with genocide and war crimes, particularly by the notorious Janjaweed Arab militias, against populations that identify as Central or East African. Up to 300,000 people were killed and 2.7 million were driven from their homes.
Khan said those in Darfur now “inflicting unimaginable atrocities on its population” should know that while they may feel a sense of impunity, Janjaweed leader Ali Kushayb is currently on trial and the ICC hopes it will be the first of many.
“However, we also have a duty of confidentiality to the court,” Khan said. “I am not able to share more details of the nature of our progress or of specific outcomes hoped for. I can only assure you that the progress we have made is concrete, positive and significant.”
PEOPLE who criticise the United Kingdom's non-stop support to Sudan over the past 22+ years do not know what they are talking about. Sudan is a former British protectorate. Historic ties between Britain and Sudan stretch back more than a century. The UK has never stopped caring about Sudan.
Below is a must-see UN video followed by reports from the hundreds in Sudan Watch's archive relating to the UK's support to Sudan since 2003.
Note that the UK is a 'Penholder' at the United Nations (UN). This includes (but is not limited to) Libya, Myanmar, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. The US is the penholder on Sudan sanctions and South Sudan.
"With few exceptions, Council outcomes on specific conflict-related situations are drafted by one of the P3 (France, the UK and the US) as the self-appointed penholders.
Permanent members China and Russia have in recent years occasionally served as co-penholders with the US on non-proliferation issues in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the Golan Heights, respectively. Elected members have served as penholders on Afghanistan, Guinea-Bissau and some thematic issues (see Annex for details)."
France is one of the founding members of the UN and plays a key role in many issues. Since 1945, it has been a member of the Security Council where it sits as a permanent member alongside the United Kingdom, the United States, China and Russia.
Sudan: Vote on a Draft Resolution to Protect Civilians
WATCH VIDEO: 14 in favour, 1 against (Russia), 0 abstentions
Chaired by the UK's Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Affairs The Rt Hon David Lammy MP. A powerful speech by Mr Lammy is on the video, after the vote, followed by statements given by the representative for each country, including Russia and Sudan.
Live broadcast courtesy of UN Media 18 Nov 2024 2:30PM GMT UK
Click “Settings” cog for sub-titles in English, Russian, Spanish, Interlingua, Chinese, Arabic, French.
Blair arrives in Khartoum to press for Darfur peace - Blair outlines demands to Sudan
British Prime Minister Tony Blair flew in to Khartoum earlier today. He is the most senior Western government official to visit Sudan since the Darfur conflict erupted.
(29 Mar 2017) Britain and Sudan agreed on Wednesday to strengthen their cooperation in the fight against "violent extremism". The commitment followed a meeting between delegations from the two countries in Khartoum. Director for Africa at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Neil Wigan led the British delegation, while Sudan's Undersecretary at the Foreign Ministry Abdul Ghani al-Naeem the Sudanese. The issues of human trafficking, illegal immigration were also on the agenda. The last strategic dialogue between the two countries took place in London last October.
Sudan is the Origin of Humanity, Says Oxford Study
According to the two articles copied here below, everybody alive today came from one African country, Sudan. Note that an excerpt from World History says: "Kush was a kingdom in northern Africain the region corresponding to modern-day Sudan. The larger region around Kush (later referred to as Nubia) was inhabited c. 8,000 BCE but The Kingdom of Kush rose much later."
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