Attacks on Unamid in Darfur ‘may constitute war crimes’: ICC Prosecutor

The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) Fatou Bensouda, has cautioned that a “the intentional directing of attacks against peacekeepers may constitute war crimes”. Bensouda was adding her voice to the international chorus of outrage at the attack last Saturday on a Unamid patrol in which seven Tanzanian peacekeepers died and 17 other personnel were injured. As the UN has emphasised, the incident was one of the most serious attacks against the AU-UN peacekeepers since their deployment; the third in just three weeks. In a statement, Bensouda “reminds all parties to the conflict that the ICC has jurisdiction in Darfur pursuant to Security Council Resolution 1593 and that the intentional directing of attacks against peacekeepers may constitute war crimes”. Bensouda warns that her office “will not hesitate to investigate and prosecute those alleged to have committed such crimes should the national authorities fail to”. She echoed appeals from UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and all echelons within the UN and the international community for the Government of Sudan “to carry out a prompt and full investigation and to hold all those responsible to account”. The latest incident brings the total number of Unamid peacekeepers killed since 2007 to 54.Bensouda’s efforts to bring ICC indictees to justice has been frustrated by a resolution by the AU for its member countries “not to cooperate with the ICC”.This has thus far allowed, for example, Sudan’s President Omar Al Bashir – who is wanted on charges of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, and is subject to international arrest warrants – to travel to several African countries, including Chad, Djibouti and most recently, Nigeria, without ICC warrants being carried out.This has met with severe criticism from the ICC. File photo: Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court Fatou Bensouda briefs the Security Council on Wednesday 5 June, on the situation in Darfur, Sudan (UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe) Related: ‘Tanzanian peacekeepers killed by Sudan government militia’: witnesses (17 July 2013)Sudan’s President Al Bashir leaves AU health summit early as ICC calls for his arrest (16 July 2013) Tanzania to seek ‘stronger mandate’ for Darfur peacekeepers (15 July 2013)UN ‘outrage’ at attack on Unamid patrol in South Darfur (14 July 2013)Seven Unamid peacekeepers killed, 17 injured in South Darfur ambush (14 July 2013) ICC prosecutor reproaches UN for ‘inaction and paralysis’ on Darfur (5 June 2013)