The International Criminal Court has convicted Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman, a former Janjaweed commander, of war crimes and crimes against humanity during the Darfur conflict over 20 years ago, according to Euronews.
On Monday, the ICC found Abd-Al-Rahman guilty on 27 counts, marking the court’s first conviction for crimes in Darfur. The judges ruled that the crimes, including mass killings, rapes, and persecution, took place as part of a government campaign at the height of the Darfur conflict in the early to mid-2000s. Abd-Al-Rahman will be sentenced later and could receive a life sentence.
Presiding Judge Joanna Korner stated that Abd-Al-Rahman «encouraged and gave instructions» leading to widespread violence, destruction, and sexual assault. Horrific abuses were recounted by witnesses, who described the use of rape as a weapon of war and the execution of prisoners in March 2004. The court concluded Abd-Al-Rahman personally killed civilians, including two men who were beaten to death with an axe.
Human rights advocates hailed the verdict as a long-awaited victory for justice in Darfur. The conflict began in 2003 when rebels from non-Arab ethnic groups accused Sudan’s Arab-dominated government of oppression, resulting in an estimated 300,000 people dead and nearly 3 million displaced over several years. The Janjaweed militias, backed by then-President Omar al-Bashir, led brutal attacks on non-Arab communities during that period.
Meanwhile, Sudan’s civil war shows no sign of ending, forcing thousands to flee the country. At the same time, the ICC has open cases against Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for alleged war crimes in Ukraine and Gaza, respectively.
