The International Criminal Court has convicted Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-al-Rahman, a former commander of the Janjaweed militia known as Ali Kushayb, for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Darfur, Sudan, more than 20 years ago. This marks the first time the ICC has issued a conviction for atrocities in Darfur.
Presiding Judge Joanna Korner read out 27 guilty verdicts, stating the court was convinced beyond reasonable doubt of his crimes. Abd-al-Rahman showed no emotion as the judgment was delivered. Sentencing will occur at a later date.
The court heard harrowing accounts of gang rapes, beatings, and mass executions. On one occasion, Abd-al-Rahman ordered about 50 civilians shot dead after loading them onto trucks and beating them with axes. Judge Korner noted that the accused was personally involved in the violence and gave orders for executions.
Abd-al-Rahman had denied all charges, claiming the court had mistaken him for someone else. However, the judge dismissed defence witnesses and affirmed his identity as Ali Kushayb. He had fled to the Central African Republic in 2020 after Sudan indicated cooperation with the ICC investigation, later surrendering out of fear of being killed.
The Darfur conflict, ignited when non-Arab tribes rebelled against the Arab-dominated government, led to the deaths of 300,000 people and displaced 2.5 million, according to the UN. The Janjaweed, drawn from nomadic tribes, were unleashed by the government to crush the rebellion.
Abd-al-Rahman is believed to be an ally of former Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, who also faces ICC charges for genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. Al-Bashir was ousted in 2019 but has not been handed over to the ICC. The court continues to seek arrest warrants for ongoing crises in Sudan.
