Human Rights Watch on Thursday urged African Union or AU Commission of Inquiry to begin investigating war crimes especially in Malakal and Bentiu committed by both pro and anti-government forces.
In a statement issued on Thursday, HRW researchers visited Malakal and Bentiu between January 29 and February 14 and found that armed forces from both sides extensively looted and destroyed civilian property, including desperately needed aid facilities, targeted civilians, and carried out extrajudicial executions based on ethnicity.
Human Rights Watch Africa director Daniel Bekele said, ‘The wanton destruction and violence against civilians in this conflict is shocking.’
He urged AU to accelerate its long promised investigations.
Mr Bekele added that the conflicting parties need to stop their forces from committing abuses and hold violators responsible for their actions.
The Rights Watch researchers investigated allegations of serious abuses and violations of international humanitarian law in Juba, Bor, Bentiu, and Malakal.