In a landmark ruling for international justice, the International Criminal Court has sentenced former Janjaweed commander Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-al-Rahman to 20 years imprisonment for crimes against humanity and war crimes committed during Darfur’s brutal conflict. The 76-year-old militia leader, widely known as Ali Kushayb, received his sentence Tuesday following an October conviction on 27 separate counts of atrocities including systematic murder, torture, and the orchestration of mass rape campaigns.
Presiding Judge Joanna Korner delivered harrowing details of Abd-al-Rahman’s personal involvement in the violence, describing how he “personally perpetrated” beatings with axes and ordered executions. The court heard victim testimonies recounting days that “began at sunrise with torture” where “blood ran freely in the streets” without medical assistance or mercy. Judge Korner further revealed the defendant had walked on the heads of wounded men, women, and children during the 2003-2004 atrocities.
This conviction represents the first successful prosecution of a militia leader for Darfur crimes, marking a significant milestone for the ICC since the UN Security Council referred the Sudan case in 2005. The trial saw unprecedented scope with 74 witnesses testifying, 1,861 items admitted as evidence, and 1,591 victims participating in proceedings from April 2022 through December 2024.
Prosecutor Julian Nicholls characterized Abd-al-Rahman as “an enthusiastic, energetic, effective perpetrator” who committed crimes “knowingly, wilfully and with enthusiasm and vigour.” The defendant, who voluntarily surrendered to ICC custody in June 2020, listened impassively during sentencing.
Human rights organizations hailed the verdict as long overdue justice. Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty International’s regional director for east and southern Africa, noted the ruling “should serve as a warning to those committing abuses in the context of the ongoing Sudan conflict.”
The sentencing occurs against the backdrop of continued violence in Darfur, where the Rapid Support Forces (RSF)—an offshoot of the Janjaweed—now battle the Sudanese army. The ICC is currently investigating alleged RSF crimes in el-Fasher including extrajudicial killings, torture, and mass rape reported last month. Recent estimates suggest tens of thousands have been massacred since the RSF seized the city in October, exacerbating mass displacement and starvation in a region already devastated by nearly three years of civil war.
Outstanding arrest warrants remain for other Sudanese officials, including former president Omar al-Bashir wanted for genocide, underscoring the ongoing pursuit of accountability for Darfur’s atrocities.