Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman, widely known as Ali Kushayb, has been convicted of war crimes and crimes against humanity stemming from the devastating conflict in Darfur, Sudan. For over two decades, Kushayb led the Janjaweed, a government-backed militia notorious for its brutal campaign that resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths and widespread displacement.
This conviction marks a significant moment, as Kushayb is the first individual to face trial at the International Criminal Court (ICC) for atrocities committed in Darfur. His defense had attempted to argue a case of mistaken identity.
The Darfur conflict, which raged from 2003 to 2020, was a period of immense humanitarian suffering, often described as one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. Survivors shared harrowing accounts during the trial, detailing the systematic destruction of their villages, the massacre of men and boys, and the horrific sexual violence and enslavement inflicted upon women.
Kushayb’s conviction specifically relates to attacks carried out between 2003 and 2004, where ICC judges found that the Janjaweed’s tactics, including mass executions and torture, were directly carried out by Kushayb and his forces. The verdict was awaited by a small but hopeful group of Darfuris gathered outside the court in The Hague, who expressed a shared belief in Kushayb’s pivotal role in the immense suffering they endured.
Despite the conviction, the ICC’s investigations and UN reports highlight that systematic violence, including sexual assault and mass killings, unfortunately continues to plague the region.
More BBC stories about Sudan:
- BBC hears of horror and hunger in rare visit to Darfur massacre town
- Return of the feared Janjaweed
- Sudan war: A simple guide to what is happening
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