U.S. condemns Sudan’s paramilitary forces’ 'atrocities' in West Darfur

The U.S. on Friday condemned the "atrocities" allegedly committed by Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in West Darfur.

"Reports of mass graves in Misterei and El Geneina provide further evidence of atrocities committed by the RSF and its allied militias in Sudan," the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum said in a statement.

The statement also welcomed the announcement of the International Criminal Court (ICC)'s prosecutor who said that "alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the current fighting may be subject to ICC investigation and prosecution."

"The fighting must stop and there must be accountability," the embassy added.

On Thursday, the UN human rights office (OHCHR) said at least 87 Sudanese civilians were buried in a mass grave in Sudan's West Darfur state.

"The bodies of at least 87 ethnic Masalit and others allegedly killed last month by Rapid Support Forces and their allied militia in West Darfur have been buried in a mass grave outside the region's capital El-Geneina on the orders of the Rapid Support Forces," OHCHR said in a statement.

There was no comment yet from the RSF paramilitary group on the accusation.

Meanwhile, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk also condemned "the killing of civilians and hors de combat individuals."

"I am further appalled by the callous and disrespectful way the dead, along with their families and communities, were treated," Turk said.

Sudan has been ravaged by clashes between the army and the RSF since April, in a conflict that killed nearly 3,000 civilians and injured thousands, according to local medics.

Several cease-fire agreements brokered by Saudi and U.S. mediators between the warring rivals had failed to end violence in the country.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimates that nearly 3 million people have been displaced by the current conflict in Sudan.