(MENAFN) Russia has urged that the Darfur situation be withdrawn from the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC), accusing the tribunal of politicization and long-term failure to fulfill its mandate, according to a statement released by the Russian Embassy in Egypt.

The embassy argued that the ICC had “sabotaged” its responsibility to investigate crimes committed in Sudan’s Darfur region for nearly twenty years and had only recently renewed its focus as the country’s crisis worsened. Moscow claimed that the court had overstepped its authority and that its “politically driven decisions” could further destabilize Sudan.

“Against the backdrop of the current bloody escalation in the Sudanese city of Al Fashir, Russia is urging the withdrawal of the Darfur file from the ICC,” the statement declared.

Russia maintained that Sudan’s internal challenges should be resolved through “inclusive internal dialogue,” rather than through what it described as outside judicial interference, which it warned could intensify divisions within the country.

Russian representatives also criticized the ICC’s overall record, pointing out that despite nearly twenty years of operation and an annual budget approaching $200 million, the court has issued only fourteen final rulings.

Speaking separately at a news conference in Doha, Qatar, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres emphasized the need for unified international action to pressure both the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to end hostilities. He stated that “this war is an absolutely intolerable thing” and insisted that Sudan’s unity and territorial integrity “must be preserved at all costs.”

Meanwhile, the ICC Prosecutor’s Office announced earlier this week that it had launched a new investigation into alleged atrocities in Al Fashir. Prosecutor Karim Khan confirmed that his office is collecting evidence of possible war crimes and crimes against humanity.

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