Africa-Press – Kenya. Twelve individuals, victims of the Sudanese war, have filed the first criminal complaint of its kind before the judicial authorities in Kenya against members of the Rapid Support Forces, accusing them of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity. This step is seen as the first attempt to pursue leaders and members of the force outside Sudan under the principle of universal jurisdiction.
The complaint was submitted by a local source and the African Center for Justice and Peace Studies through a Kenyan law firm to the Director of Public Prosecutions in Nairobi, requesting an investigation into ten members of the Rapid Support Forces suspected of connections to Kenya or of being present on its territory.
The accusations relate to crimes committed in Khartoum and its surroundings between April 2023 and March 2025, during which the Rapid Support Forces exerted control over large areas of the Sudanese capital.
According to the complaint file, the victims were subjected to detention under inhumane conditions, including deprivation of food, drinking water, and healthcare, as well as being subjected to beatings, burning, electric shocks, choking, and sexual violations, including rape and sexual slavery. Some detainees were forced to transport corpses from within detention centers.
Human rights organizations quoted one victim stating that members of the Rapid Support Forces interrogated him violently and held him in darkness for weeks, attempting to coerce him under threat of violence to assault one of his fellow detainees.
Characteristics of Genocide
The executive director of the local source stated that the complaint represents an opportunity for Kenya to demonstrate its commitment to combating impunity, urging Kenyan authorities to utilize the International Crimes Act of 2008 to prosecute those accused of committing the most serious international crimes regardless of where they occurred.
She added that the Rapid Support Forces have destroyed the lives of millions of Sudanese and killed tens of thousands, noting that public opinion in Kenya is aware that some suspects “move freely to and from Kenya,” emphasizing that the country should not become a safe haven for war criminals.
For his part, Kenyan lawyer Willis Otieno, who filed the complaint, stated that available information indicates connections between some of those sought for investigation and Kenya, confirming that the legal framework in the country allows for the investigation of international crimes and the prosecution of their perpetrators.
This move comes at a time when the Rapid Support Forces face increasing accusations from the United Nations and international human rights organizations of committing violations that may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity, particularly in the Darfur region, where UN reports have mentioned attacks bearing characteristics of genocide.
The war between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces erupted in April 2023, following escalating disputes between the two sides leading to open confrontations in Khartoum and other areas, resulting in tens of thousands of deaths and the displacement of millions. The United Nations describes the conflict as the largest humanitarian crisis currently facing the world.
