The Hague, 7 October 2025 — The International Criminal Court (ICC) has delivered a landmark ruling, convicting Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman, also known as Ali Kushayb, a former commander of Sudan’s Janjaweed militia, for atrocities committed in Darfur more than 20 years ago. It marks the ICC’s first conviction linked to the Darfur conflict, a case referred to the court by the UN Security Council in 2005.
Crimes and Conviction
Judges found Abd-Al-Rahman guilty on 27 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including murder, rape, torture, persecution, and attacks on civilians between 2003 and 2004. The court ruled that he not only gave orders but also personally participated in acts of violence, including mass executions and assaults on non-Arab communities. Sentencing will follow in a separate hearing, with Abd-Al-Rahman facing a possible life sentence.
Historical Context
The Darfur conflict erupted in 2003, when non-Arab rebel groups accused Sudan’s government of marginalization. In response, Khartoum mobilized the Janjaweed militias, unleashing a campaign of ethnically targeted violence that the UN later described as one of the gravest humanitarian crises of the early 21st century. An estimated 300,000 people were killed and more than 2.5 million displaced.
Significance for Justice
The conviction is a milestone for the ICC, which has faced criticism for slow progress in prosecuting crimes in Darfur. It is also the court’s first conviction for gender-based persecution, underscoring the systematic use of sexual violence during the conflict.
Victims’ groups welcomed the ruling as a long-awaited measure of justice. “The crimes he committed had huge impacts for the last 22 years. We were displaced, made refugees in camps,” said one Darfuri survivor.
Ongoing Cases
The ICC continues to pursue outstanding warrants against senior Sudanese figures, including former President Omar al-Bashir, who faces charges of genocide. Human rights advocates argue that the conviction should serve as a warning to perpetrators of ongoing atrocities in Sudan’s renewed conflict.
Sources: ICC judgment; UN News; Human Rights Watch; Reuters.
