Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Wednesday urged the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) to ensure that Rapid Support Forces (RSF) commanders who have defected to the Sudanese army are held accountable for their alleged involvement in serious international crimes and human rights violations.
RSF, an independent Sudanese paramilitary force that emerged from the Janjaweed militia active in Darfur, has been engaged in a conflict with the SAF since April 2023. The war followed the collapse of negotiations over security sector reforms and a proposed transition from military to civilian rule after Sudan's 2021 military coup. The conflict has displaced millions of people and worsened Sudan's humanitarian crisis. The RSF and allied forces have reportedly committed widespread abuses, including unlawful killings, mass executions, sexual violence, attacks on civilian property, and the use of explosive weapons in densely populated areas. Allegations against the SAF and its allied forces, including indiscriminate attacks on populated areas, sexual violence, torture of detainees, and mutilation of bodies.
HRW Sudan researcher Mohamed Osman stated that “those responsible for serious international crimes and human rights violations do not get a free pass if they switch sides.†Osman added that victims of abuses committed under military commanders' authority deserve justice regardless of changing political or military alliances.
Under international law, the Sudanese authorities have an obligation to investigate, prosecute, and punish those responsible for atrocity crimes and other serious human rights violations. This duty cannot be undermined by any pardon, amnesty, or other domestic legal provisions that effectively bestow impunity on those responsible for such crimes under international law.
HRW also called on members of the Coalition for Atrocity Prevention and Justice on Sudan, established in February 2026 by the United Kingdom, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Norway, to support efforts to expand the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to all of Sudan. The organization urged coalition members to publicly oppose measures granting impunity for serious crimes, support documentation efforts, and prioritize justice and accountability in any future negotiations to end the conflict.
