ICC OPENS SUDAN WAR CRIMES CASE

The atrocity-fuelled war in Sudan is finally getting some international attention. The Hague’s chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, says he and his team are urgently investigating allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity. He is urging anyone with audio or visual evidence to submit it to his office.

Sudan’s Darfur is currently a key front in the conflict between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces - with numerous reports of atrocities in the region. The 14-month-old war has created the world’s largest displacement crisis: according to the International Organization for Migration, it will soon affect over 10-million people. The current death toll stands at 15,000 but the UN fears the real number could be much higher, with many unreported cases. Aid agencies are also warning of an “imminent risk of famine.”

While the investigation into war crimes in Sudan is very welcome news, is there a danger it could prolong the conflict - as those implicated will have no desire to risk being held to account by ending it?