ICC finds former Sudan militia leader guilty of war crimes in Darfur

LAGOS, Nigeria — The International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague has convicted Ali Muhammad Ali Abd–Al-Rahman, a leader of Sudan’s notorious Janjaweed militia, for his role in atrocities committed during the genocide in the western region of Darfur more than 20 years ago. It is the court’s first conviction for crimes in Darfur, where similar violence has flared again amid Sudan’s ongoing civil war.

Judges found that mass killings and sexual violence were part of a plan backed by Sudan’s former government to crush a rebellion by African ethnic groups in the western region. Abd–Al-Rahman, also known by the nom de guerre Ali Kushayb, was found guilty on 27 counts, carried out between August 2003 and April 2004. He remained silent as the verdict was read out by presiding judge, Joanna Korner.

“The accused was not only giving orders … but was personally involved in the beatings and later was physically present and giving orders for the execution of those detained,” said Korner.

Abd–Al-Rahman, who claimed he was wrongly identified, will be sentenced at a later date and faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. Born in 1949, Abd–Al-Rahman fled to the Central African Republic in February 2020 after Sudan’s new government announced it would cooperate with the ICC investigation. He later turned himself in, saying he was “desperate” and feared he would be killed by authorities.

The conflict in Darfur lasted from 2003 to 2020, and is widely considered to be the 21^st century’s first genocide. During that time the United Nations estimates that the conflict killed 300,000 people and forced 2.5 million from their homes.

Reading out the verdict, Korner recounted the horrific crimes committed by Abd–Al-Rahman, including gang rapes, abuse, and mass killings. Although the ICC has successfully prosecuted Abd–Al-Rahman, several arrest warrants remain outstanding against Sudanese officials, including one accusing former Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir of genocide, which he denies. Bashir, who was ousted in a 2019 coup, is reportedly in military custody in northern Sudan.

During the trial, Karim Khan, the ICC chief prosecutor said Abd-Al-Rahman and the Janjaweed militia “rampaged” through Darfur and “inflicted severe pain and suffering on women, children and men in villages that he left in his wake.”

The Janjaweed later evolved into the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which have been fighting the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) since 2023. The RSF is accused by the United States, the U.N. and others of committing another genocide in Darfur, displacing thousands, triggering famine and driving the region toward a new humanitarian catastrophe.