ICC convicts former Janjaweed leader Ali Kushayb for Darfur war crimes

The International Criminal Court has convicted former Janjaweed leader Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman, also known as Ali Kushayb, of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Sudan’s Darfur conflict. He was found guilty on 27 counts and faces life imprisonment. The Darfur war under ex-President Omar al-Bashir left hundreds of thousands dead, and Sudan remains in conflict between the army and the Rapid Support Forces.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague delivered a landmark judgment on Monday, convicting former militia leader Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman for war crimes committed more than twenty years ago in Sudan’s Darfur region. The verdict marks one of the most significant rulings in the court’s history regarding atrocities in Darfur, bringing a measure of justice to victims of one of Africa’s deadliest conflicts.

Abd-Al-Rahman, who served as a senior commander in the feared Janjaweed militias, was found guilty on 27 counts, including rape, murder, and persecution. These crimes were committed during the height of the Darfur conflict, which erupted in 2003 after an uprising by the region’s ethnic central and sub-Saharan African groups against Sudan’s then-government led by President Omar al-Bashir. In response, al-Bashir’s administration launched a brutal counterinsurgency campaign, enlisting the Janjaweed to suppress the rebellion through terror and mass violence.

The Darfur conflict led to the deaths of up to 300,000 people and forced about 2.7 million others from their homes. Villages were burned to the ground, civilians were massacred, and countless women were subjected to systematic sexual violence. The Janjaweed, acting as enforcers of the regime, carried out much of the bloodshed with ruthless precision. Their attacks were marked by cruelty and deliberate targeting of civilians — a campaign described by international observers as ethnic cleansing.

Abd-Al-Rahman, also known by the alias Ali Kushayb, became one of the most feared figures in Darfur during that time. According to prosecutors, he commanded hundreds of fighters who stormed villages, abducted civilians, and carried out public executions. The ICC found overwhelming evidence of his involvement, concluding that he not only directed operations but also personally took part in acts of violence.

Presiding Judge Joanna Korner said during the verdict that Abd-Al-Rahman “encouraged and gave instructions that resulted in the killings, rapes, and destruction committed by the Janjaweed.” She noted that the decision by the three-judge panel was unanimous, emphasizing the weight of evidence presented during the trial.

In one chilling account described by Judge Korner, Abd-Al-Rahman reportedly rounded up about 50 civilians, loaded them onto trucks, and beat several with axes before forcing them to lie on the ground. He then ordered his men to shoot them dead. “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,” she said.

Abd-Al-Rahman had denied all charges, pleading not guilty to war crimes and crimes against humanity when his trial opened in April 2022. He maintained that he was not the person known as Ali Kushayb, attempting to distance himself from the horrific acts attributed to him. Despite his claims, the court found his defense unconvincing after hearing testimonies from both sides.

A total of 56 witnesses testified for the prosecution, painting a grim picture of the suffering inflicted on the people of Darfur. Survivors described scenes of mass killings, rape, and villages engulfed in flames, with Abd-Al-Rahman frequently present at the scenes of violence. His defense lawyers, meanwhile, called 17 witnesses, arguing that he had no role in the conflict and was being wrongfully accused.

The campaign orchestrated by President Omar al-Bashir was one of the darkest chapters in Sudan’s history. The Janjaweed militias, who were instrumental in carrying out his orders, became notorious for their dawn raids on villages, often arriving on horseback or camels to burn homes, kill residents, and abduct women. Their brutality earned them international condemnation and eventually led to war crimes charges at the ICC.

Although al-Bashir himself has been indicted by the ICC for genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes, he has yet to be handed over to the court. He remains in Sudanese custody following his ouster in 2019, and questions continue to surround whether he will ever face trial in The Hague.

Abd-Al-Rahman’s conviction, however, sends a strong message about accountability for atrocities in Darfur. He faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, with sentencing to take place at a later date.

Meanwhile, the Darfur region remains trapped in a new cycle of violence. Sudan is once again torn apart by civil war, this time between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) — a group that evolved directly from the Janjaweed militias and continues to draw its strength and tactics from them. The ongoing conflict has reignited fears of renewed ethnic cleansing and large-scale civilian suffering, underscoring how deeply the legacy of Darfur’s past continues to shape Sudan’s present.