ICC convicts first Darfur militia leader with war crimes

Just as the country is plunged into a devastating civil war since 2023, Sudanese people witnessed a glance of hope that international law and accountability are still alive and well.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has found Sudanese militia leader Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman, also known as Ali Kushayb, guilty on 27 counts regarding serious crimes (war crimes and crimes against humanity) in Darfur more than 20 years ago. Abd-Al-Rahman was one of the leaders of the Janjaweed, a government-backed group, and is the first to be prosecuted by the ICC in the Darfur; although he argued that it was a case of “mistaken identity”.

The conflict in Sudan lasted from 2003 till 2020, during which allegations of ethnic cleansing and genocide against the region’s non-Arabic population were reported. Presiding judge Joanna Korner stated that that Kushayb had given orders to Janjaweed fighters to “wipe out and sweep away” non-Arab tribes and told soldiers “don't leave anyone behind. Bring no one alive.”

The 2003-2020 Darfur war began after the Arab-dominated government at the time (led by deposed President Omar al-Bashir) armed the Janjaweed, in an attempt to suppress an uprising by rebels from black African ethnic groups. The aforementioned militia systemically targeted non-Arab Sudanese, leading to accusations of genocide.

Today, similar crimes are being committed in Darfur as fighting erupted once more in 2023. Many of the Janjaweed fighters have morphed into the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the paramilitary group that is battling Sudan’s army.

Despite the optimism that many Darfuris felt from the ICC’s ruling, several more significant arrest warrants are yet to be upheld. The most important one being the one accusing former President Omar al-Bashir of genocide, which he denies. Al-Bashir is reportedly in military custody in north Sudan after he was ousted in a coup in 2019.