The International Criminal Court (ICC) has handed a landmark 20-year prison sentence to Ali Muhammad Ali Abd‑Al‑Rahman better known as “Janjaweed commander Ali Kushayb” for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the conflict in Darfur in 2003–2004.
Abd-Al-Rahman was convicted on 27 counts, including mass murder, torture, rape and persecution. The court found that he not only ordered widespread attacks on villages but also took part directly in atrocities including killing prisoners with an axe.
During sentencing, presiding judge Joanna Korner said the convict “ordered his men to wipe out entire communities” of non-Arab civilians, and in some instances personally perpetrated the crimes.
The ruling is the first conviction by the ICC for crimes committed during the Darfur conflict, a milestone many hoped would deliver justice to thousands of victims.
Prosecutors had originally sought a life sentence, citing the severity of the crimes and the high death toll (at least 213 killed, including children, and many more survivors subjected to rape and torture).
While human-rights groups have welcomed the verdict, they stress that broader justice remains elusive with fighting ongoing in parts of Sudan, including regions linked to the rebel successor of Janjaweed, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which have also been accused of atrocities.
