Human Rights Coalition sues Sudan generals at ICC over atrocities, chemical weapons

View of the International Criminal Court. [Photo/AFP]

The Sudanese Alliance for Rights (SAR) announced that it has filed a legal case before the International Criminal Court (ICC) against four senior leaders of the Port Sudan authorities, including Chairman of the Sovereign Council Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.

The lawsuit accuses the leaders of using chemical weapons and committing serious violations against civilians amid the ongoing conflict that has engulfed Sudan for years. It also targets Yasser al-Atta, Shams al-Din al-Kabashi, and Major General Taher Mohammed, calling for a comprehensive investigation and the prosecution of those responsible, sending a clear message that impunity will not be tolerated under international law.

In parallel, the alliance submitted a formal complaint to the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights and sent a letter to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), urging the body to launch an urgent investigation. SAR emphasizes that continued international and regional silence encourages repeated violations and places civilians at greater risk.

This move follows the failure of all African Union and IGAD efforts to resolve the crisis peacefully, as the Sudanese army has refused to engage in any negotiations or implement prior peace agreements. The political deadlock has allowed extremist militias allied with Sudanese authorities to expand their influence, posing a direct threat to border security and the stability of neighboring African states.

Human rights experts describe the lawsuit as a strategic initiative by Sudanese civil society to engage international institutions in holding military leaders accountable, sending a stern warning that human rights violations will not go unpunished, regardless of the duration of the conflict.