Elham Asaad Buaras
The International Criminal Court (ICC) convicted former Janjaweed leader Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-al-Rahman for war crimes and crimes against humanity on October 6, delivering its first verdict for atrocities in Sudan’s Darfur region after a 19-year investigation.
The court found Abd-al-Rahman, known as Ali Kushayb, guilty on 27 counts, including murder, rape, persecution, and torture committed between August 2003 and at least April 2004.
The ruling against the Janjaweed commander lands as Sudan’s current civil war is waged by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the paramilitary group that is the direct successor to his militia.
Presiding Judge Joanna Korner stated the evidence proved Abd-al-Rahman “encouraged and gave instructions that resulted in the killings, the rapes and destruction committed by the Janjaweed.”
The judges determined the crimes were part of a state-backed campaign to suppress a rebel uprising that began in 2003. The United Nations estimates the conflict killed 300,000 people and displaced 2.7 million.
Abd-al-Rahman had pleaded not guilty, with his defence claiming he was a civilian with no command role—an argument the judges rejected.
In a statement reacting to the verdict, Amnesty International said the conviction “should serve as a warning to those committing abuses in the context of the ongoing Sudan conflict that they will one day be held individually accountable.”
Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, described the verdict as a “significant milestone” and called for the UN Security Council to extend the ICC’s mandate from Darfur to the entirety of Sudan to pursue “comprehensive justice for all victims.”
The conviction coincides with the RSF’s alleged commission of similar atrocities in Darfur. The ICC’s deputy prosecutor told the UN Security Council in July 2023 that war crimes are continuing in the region.
Human rights groups now accuse the RSF, led by Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, of mass killings, sexual violence, and looting. Reports from UN experts and NGOs document the RSF’s use of advanced military equipment, such as UAE-manufactured armoured vehicles, and allege the force receives weapons and supplies from the United Arab Emirates via Chad.
The UAE has repeatedly denied the allegations, calling them “unfounded.”
The war between the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces, which erupted in April 2023, has killed tens of thousands and displaced over 12 million people, creating one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises.
A sentencing hearing for Abd-al-Rahman, who faces a maximum life term, will be scheduled at a later date.
ICC- 06 October 2025 | Download Trial Judgement: The Prosecutor v. Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman | Document: English (4.98 MB | 355 Pages)
Photo: Trial Chamber I of the International Criminal Court issued its verdict in the case The Prosecutor v. Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman on October 6. The Chamber found Abd-Al-Rahman guilty beyond any reasonable doubt of 27 counts of crimes against humanity and war crimes which took place between August 2003 and at least April 2004 in Darfur, Sudan. (Credit: ICC/Flickr)
