ICC Finally Rules on Sudan's Militia Leader, Convicts Kushayb of War Crimes in Darfur
- The International Criminal Court (ICC) has jailed Sudanese militia leader Ali Kushayb for 20 years over war crimes and crimes against humanity
- He was convicted on 27 counts linked to massacres, village burnings and persecution in Darfur between 2003 and 2004
- The verdict comes as Darfur again faces ethnic cleansing amid Sudan’s ongoing civil war
Legit.ng's Muslim Muhammad Yusuf is a 2025 Wole Soyinka Award-winning journalist with over 8 years of experience in investigative reporting, human rights, politics, governance and accountability in Nigeria.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has sentenced Sudanese militia leader Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman, widely known as Ali Kushayb, to 20 years in prison for his role in brutal attacks carried out during the Darfur conflict more than two decades ago.
Kushayb, 76, was convicted in October on 27 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Source: Twitter
The charges relate to a series of coordinated attacks on non-Arab communities in Darfur between 2003 and 2004.
He is the first person to be tried by the ICC for atrocities committed during the first Darfur crisis, a conflict that claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and displaced millions.
Despite insisting it was a case of mistaken identity, the judges ruled that Kushayb not only issued direct orders that resulted in mass killings, rap3s, and destruction of villages, but also personally took part in some of the attacks.
Dressed in a light blue suit and tie, the former Janjaweed commander stood quietly in court as presiding judge Joanna Korner read out the sentence, as reported by the BBC.
"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.
She noted that Kushayb had instructed fighters to wipe out and sweep away targeted non-Arab tribes and reportedly told them to bring no one alive.
What is Janjaweed?
The Janjaweed, a government-backed militia during the administration of then-President Omar al-Bashir, was accused of carrying out widespread killings, torture, and village burnings as part of a campaign to crush a rebellion by black African communities who claimed marginalisation.
Although the Darfur conflict officially ended in 2020, the region has again descended into violence. Many former Janjaweed fighters now operate under the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which is locked in a civil war with Sudan’s army.
Source: Twitter
Rights groups and Western governments have repeatedly accused the RSF of committing fresh ethnic cleansing in Darfur since 2023, allegations the group denies.
ICC ruling may have limited impact - Experts say
Dr Matthew Benson-Strohmayer, Sudan Research Director at the London School of Economics, told the BBC he hoped the conviction would influence the present crisis but sincerely doubted it would change the behaviour of armed groups now active in Darfur.
Despite Kushayb’s conviction, several ICC arrest warrants remain outstanding, including one against former President Omar al-Bashir, who is accused of genocide. Bashir, ousted in 2019, is currently reported to be in military custody in northern Sudan.
For many victims of the first Darfur conflict, most of whom are still displaced, the verdict represents a symbolic but long-awaited step toward accountability.
Economy another victim of war in impoverished Sudan
Legit.ng earlier reported that before the Sudanese army and paramilitary fighters turned their guns on each other last year, Ahmed used to sell one of Sudan's main exports: gum arabic, a vital ingredient for global industry.
Now he's out of business, and his story encapsulates the broader economic collapse of Sudan during 10 months of war.
Since combat between two rival generals began on April 15, Ahmed has been at the fighters' mercy.
Source: Legit.ng
