Militia Leader Sentenced for War Crimes in Darfur Conflict

Tue Dec 09 2025 18:18:38 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman, known as Ali Kushayb, receives a 20-year prison sentence from the ICC for his role in crimes against humanity in Darfur, highlighting the ongoing struggles in the region.

Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman, a prominent figure linked to the Janjaweed militia, was sentenced to 20 years in prison by the International Criminal Court for orchestrating war crimes during the Darfur conflict. The trial sheds light on the long-standing humanitarian crisis and ongoing violence in the region, emphasizing the need for justice and accountability. As survivors recount their traumatic experiences, this case underscores the continued repercussions of past atrocities amidst a new civil war in Sudan.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has sentenced a Sudanese militia leader to 20 years in prison for atrocities committed during a civil war more than two decades ago.

Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman had been convicted in October on 27 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Darfur region.

Known as Ali Kushayb, he was one of the leaders of the Janjaweed, a government-backed group that terrorised Darfur, killing hundreds of thousands of people.

Kushayb, aged 76, is the first person to be tried by the ICC for atrocities committed during the civil war. He had argued the charges were a case of mistaken identity.

Dressed in a light blue suit and tie, Kushayb stood quietly as presiding judge Joanna Korner delivered his sentence on Tuesday.

Abdal Raman not only gave the orders which led directly to the crimes but... also personally perpetrated some of them, Judge Korner told the court.

The conflict in question lasted from 2003 to 2020 and was one of the world's gravest humanitarian disasters, with allegations of ethnic cleansing and genocide against the region's non-Arab population.

Five years after the end of that crisis, Darfur is a key battleground in another civil war, this time between Sudan's army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), whose origins lie in the Janjaweed.

During Kushayb's trial, survivors described how their villages were burned down, men and boys slaughtered, and women forced into sex slavery. Judge Korner stated Kushayb's orders aimed to wipe out and sweep away non-Arab tribes.

The Janjaweed systematically attacked non-Arab villagers accused of supporting the rebels, fueling allegations of genocide.

As Sudan now grapples with renewed violence, many of the Janjaweed fighters have reportedly joined the RSF, which is accused by the UK, US, and rights groups of carrying out ethnic cleansing against non-Arab communities since 2023's outbreak of conflict. The RSF has denied these accusations.

Upon passing Kushayb's sentence, Judge Korner emphasized the importance of both retribution and deterrence, stating that such measures are critical, given Sudan's current turmoil.

Dr. Matthew Benson-Strohmayer from the London School of Economics remarked on the persistent cycle of violence, highlighting the war in Darfur as a war of terror. Despite hopes for change following Kushayb's conviction, many remain doubtful it will affect the ongoing conflict.

Most victims from the first Darfur crisis are still displaced, with outstanding arrest warrants against numerous Sudanese officials. Former President Omar al-Bashir, accused of genocide, remains in detention following his ousting in a coup in 2019.