UN Mission: Sudan El Obeid War Crimes Report Details Civilian Devastation

• Civilians in El Obeid face constant threats from RSF drone attacks and SAF arbitrary arrests, as reported by UN investigators.
• The Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for the Sudan documented thousands of arrests, torture, and appalling conditions in El Obeid Central Prison, which holds 2,000 people in a facility designed for 450.
• RSF drone strikes, which may amount to war crimes, have damaged homes, schools, and critical infrastructure in El Obeid, leaving only about 30% of hospitals operational.
• Investigators found evidence of a transnational network supporting the RSF, with individuals and entities from Chad, Puntland, southeastern Libya, and the UAE involved.
• The Mission calls for the expansion of the UN arms embargo to all of Sudan and emphasizes that sovereignty should not protect perpetrators of mass atrocity crimes.

The Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for the Sudan has underscored that sovereignty should not serve as a shield against mass atrocity crimes, emphasizing the critical need for accountability.

Residents of El Obeid, Sudan, are enduring a perilous existence, caught between persistent drone attacks by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and a wave of arbitrary arrests carried out by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). This dire situation was highlighted by UN-appointed independent investigators, members of the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for the Sudan, who warned that the conflict is escalating in geographical scope, technological sophistication, and danger to civilians. The mission's recent report, titled "Sudan's Unrelenting War: Civilian Devastation and Deepening Insecurity in El Obeid," details the severe impact on the civilian population.

RSF drone attacks in El Obeid have resulted in civilian casualties and extensive damage to essential infrastructure, including homes, schools, displacement sites, and critical electricity and water systems. These actions, according to the report, may constitute war crimes. The city's healthcare infrastructure has been severely compromised, with only approximately 30 percent of hospitals remaining operational following these assaults. Simultaneously, SAF-affiliated security forces have intensified surveillance, specifically targeting individuals involved in humanitarian, human rights, and peace initiatives, further restricting vital support efforts.

The Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for the Sudan has documented thousands of arrests by SAF security cells, with detainees reportedly subjected to torture in unofficial locations and within El Obeid Central Prison. Mona Rishmawi, an expert member of the Mission, explicitly stated that these practices must cease immediately, describing the conditions in the prison as appalling. El Obeid Central Prison, designed to accommodate around 450 individuals, is currently holding approximately 2,000 people, leading to extreme overcrowding. A former detainee recounted up to 40 individuals being confined to a cell measuring roughly 2.5 by 2 meters.

The Mission's investigations extend beyond El Obeid, examining other significant incidents of violence. This includes a drone attack on a market in Abyei on October 19, reportedly carried out by forces of the military government, which claimed at least 80 lives. Additionally, the Mission is investigating alleged Egyptian airstrikes on gold mining sites near the Sudan-Egypt border, which reportedly killed at least 72 miners. These incidents underscore the widespread nature of the conflict and the severe human cost across the region.

The conflict's expansion and the increasing civilian toll have prompted urgent calls for greater international accountability. Mohamed Chande Othman, chair of the Mission, revealed evidence of a transnational network supporting the RSF, involving individuals and entities from Chad, Puntland in Somalia, southeastern Libya, and the United Arab Emirates. While investigators have not formally linked any neighboring states to this support, Othman noted that October recorded the highest number of drone attacks on civilians since the conflict began in April 2023, asserting that states supplying weapons cannot claim ignorance of their use.

Joy Ngozi Ezeilo, a fellow expert with the Mission, reiterated a critical recommendation: to expand the existing UN arms embargo, currently limited to Darfur, to encompass all of Sudan. The Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for the Sudan has underscored that sovereignty should not serve as a shield against mass atrocity crimes, emphasizing the critical need for accountability. Ezeilo also highlighted the lack of accountability one year after the RSF's takeover of El Fasher, stressing that the passage of time should not diminish focus on such events but rather reinforce the consequences of impunity.

Lawyers and compliance officers should monitor the findings of the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for the Sudan, as its documentation of potential war crimes and human rights abuses in El Obeid could inform future international legal actions, sanctions, or accountability mechanisms. Compliance teams should also be aware of the call to expand the UN arms embargo to all of Sudan, which would impact due diligence and trade restrictions for entities operating in or with the region.

Source: Original reporting via UN News.