UN mission calls for peacekeeping force in Sudan, suspects war crimes

Flagrant rights violations by Sudan's warring parties require the deployment of an "independent and impartial force" to protect millions of civilians driven from their homes, UN experts said Friday.

An independent fact-finding mission uncovered "harrowing" violations by both sides since April last year "which may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity", they said.

The conflict pits the national army led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces of his former deputy, Mohamed Hamdan Daglo.

It has triggered one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.

Tens of thousands of people have been killed, and the experts said eight million civilians have been displaced while a further two million people have fled to neighbouring countries.

Mohamed Chande Othman, chair of the fact-finding mission, created late last year, called for "urgent and immediate action to protect civilians".

Sudan talks close with progress on two safe aid routes but not on ceasefire

"Given the failure of the warring parties to spare civilians, it is imperative that an independent and impartial force with a mandate to safeguard civilians be deployed without delay," Othman said.

The mission found evidence of "indiscriminate" airstrikes and shelling against civilian targets including schools and hospitals as well as water and electricity supplies.

"These violations may amount to war crimes."

'Wake-up call'

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