ICC convicts first Darfur militia leader for war crimes

The International Criminal Court (ICC) on Monday found a militia leader guilty for the first time over atrocities committed in Sudan’s Darfur region more than two decades ago.

Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman was convicted on 27 counts of crimes against humanity and war crimes, including rape, murder, and persecution.

Abd-Al-Rahman, also known as Ali Kushayb, was one of the leaders of the Janjaweed, a government-backed group that terrorised Darfur, killing hundreds of thousands of people.

During Kushayb's trial, survivors described how their villages were burned down, men and boys slaughtered and women forced into sex slavery.

This marks the ICC’s first and only trial concerning crimes in Sudan since the United Nations Security Council referred the situation to the court in 2005, a milestone verdict for international justice.

A Darfuri who spoke to the BBC said Kushayb played a role in their suffering, saying: "He was the one who gave the orders. He was the one who got the weapons.

"So if you ask me if he was important in Darfur, I will you tell you he was one of the most important ones."

Several arrest warrants remain outstanding for Sudanese officials, among them former President Omar al-Bashir, who faces charges of genocide.

Abd-Al-Rahman's sentencing will be decided later following a further round of hearings.

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