A confidential report submitted to the ICC details how the Sudanese Armed Forces and foreign state and non-state actors enabled war crimes through military support, training, and financing. The filing seeks to trigger a formal investigation and international accountability under the Rome Statute.
The Hague
A confidential report has been submitted to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, alleging that the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), along with a network of foreign state and non-state actors, are complicit in war crimes and crimes against humanity committed across Sudan.
The report, filed by a coalition of legal experts and human rights advocates, outlines a pattern of indiscriminate aerial bombardments, obstruction of humanitarian aid, and systematic civilian targeting. It further documents how foreign governments and armed groups have sustained SAF’s military capacity through weapons transfers, intelligence sharing, and financial support.
Among the states named are Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Iran, and Turkey, each allegedly contributing to SAF’s operations through logistical corridors, military equipment, and strategic coordination. Non-state actors cited include Al-Shabaab, Hamas, Houthis, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, accused of providing training, fuel, and battlefield support. The report claims these entities have enabled the SAF’s campaign of terror across Darfur and Sudan, particularly since 2023.
Sources familiar with the filing describe it as “a foundational step toward international accountability” invoking Article 15 of the Rome Statute and urging the Prosecutor to initiate action against those who are allegedly most responsible for such crimes. The document draws on numerous UN investigations, NGO fieldwork, and open-source intelligence to map the legal liability of external actors.
The initiative aims to revive global attention to what advocates call “a forgotten conflict” and to trigger prosecution under both international and domestic proceedings. ICC officials have yet to comment publicly on the submission.
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) referred the situation in Darfur to the ICC in Resolution 1593 (2005) on 31 March 2005, the ICC may exercise its jurisdiction over crimes listed in the Rome Statute committed on the territory of Darfur, Sudan from 1 July 2002 onward, although there are now repeated calls for the ICC to expand its mandate to all of the Sudanese territory.
Implications and Possible Next Steps
If the ICC proceeds with the report under Article 15, the investigation could expand the scope of accountability beyond domestic actors, bringing regional and international networks of support under legal scrutiny. This would mark one of the rare instances in which external enablers of mass atrocities—not only direct perpetrators—are considered liable under international law.
Ultimately, the submission reinforces a broader message: the crimes committed in Sudan are neither isolated nor invisible, and the infrastructure of violence extends beyond national borders. Whether or not the ICC formally proceeds, the report reshapes the legal and political landscape surrounding accountability for the war in Sudan and increases the likelihood that foreign complicity will come under greater international scrutiny in the months ahead.