The assessment is based, among other things, on information about “systematic” murders and rapes carried out by the RSF, says the US Secretary of State.
The paramilitary RSF forces, which are waging war against the country’s armed forces in Sudan, and their allies have “committed genocide”, stated the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday.
According to Blinken, the estimate of genocide is based on information about the “systematic” murders of men and boys carried out on ethnic grounds by the RSF, as well as the rape of women and girls belonging to certain ethnic groups.
Adopted after World War II, the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide defines genocide as “acts committed with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group”.
In addition, the RSF has been accused of carrying out large-scale robberies in the country, as well as arbitrarily harming civilians.
– The United States is committed to holding accountable those responsible for these atrocities, Blinken said when announcing the sanctions against the head of RSF Mohammad Hamdan Dagalota against.
RSF also commented on the US accusations on Tuesday, saying the country “rewards war-starters by punishing them [RSF:n johtajaa]”.
There has been a civil war in Sudan for almost two years. Tens of thousands of people have died in the war, and in addition, around eight million Sudanese have had to flee their homes.
Sources: Reuters, AFP