UN rights expert questions impartiality of Sudan's war crimes investigation panel

Radhouane Nouicer, the UN’s designated expert on Sudan, criticized the investigative body created to examine war-time abuses, noting that its records overwhelmingly focus on the Rapid Support Forces while barely mentioning the Sudanese Armed Forces. He said the committee has logged tens of thousands of incidents, yet only a few hundred pertain to the army, casting doubt on its impartiality. Nouicer also pointed to a surge in arbitrary detentions, disappearances and torture, with many detainees accused merely of cooperating with the opposing side.

He reported that the conflict’s tactics have evolved, with increased deployment of aircraft and drones that have resulted in more than 1,000 civilian deaths since the start of 2026. Additionally, he observed extensive damage to civilian structures in Khartoum that appears to lack any clear military purpose. The remarks come amid a war that began in April 2023 and has produced massive civilian casualties and displacement.