The head of a United Nations agency has called for an investigation into the killing of at least 87 people who were discovered in a mass grave in Sudan’s West Darfur region. United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk has demanded a prompt, thorough and independent investigation into the grim discovery. 

The demand came shortly before the International Criminal Court (ICC) said it has launched a fresh investigation into alleged war crimes in Sudan, following 90 days of escalating violence between the warring factions of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Inside the mass grave were bodies of ethnic Masalit who along with other non-Arab communities are often targeted by Arab militias. UN Human Rights Office said in a statement that the deceased were allegedly killed last month by the paramilitary RSF and their allied militia.