Darfur's Day of Reckoning

Janjaweed Leader Convicted in Landmark ICC Ruling

Article created and last updated on: Monday 06 October 2025 18:59

Abstract

The International Criminal Court has convicted Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman, a senior commander of the Janjaweed militia, for a campaign of atrocities in the Darfur region of Sudan over two decades ago. This is the first conviction by the court for crimes committed in Darfur. The ruling found Abd-Al-Rahman, also known as Ali Kushayb, guilty of 27 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including murder, rape, torture, and persecution. The atrocities were part of a government-backed counter-insurgency campaign that resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people and the displacement of millions. The conviction is a significant moment for international justice and for the victims of the Darfur conflict who have long awaited accountability.

Key Historical Facts

Key Title

Introduction

On the 6th of October 2025, a significant chapter in the pursuit of international justice was written at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague. Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman, a name synonymous with the terror inflicted upon the people of Darfur, was found guilty of orchestrating a litany of war crimes and crimes against humanity. The conviction of this senior Janjaweed militia leader, also known by the nom de guerre Ali Kushayb, marks the first time the ICC has successfully prosecuted and convicted an individual for the atrocities committed in the western Sudanese region more than twenty years ago. The verdict represents a landmark moment, not only for the countless victims who have endured unimaginable suffering but also for the credibility and reach of international law in holding perpetrators of mass violence to account. The harrowing events in Darfur, which unfolded in the early 2000s, captured global attention and sparked widespread condemnation, yet justice has remained elusive for many. This conviction, therefore, stands as a testament to the perseverance of those who have sought to ensure that the architects of such brutality do not escape the consequences of their actions.

The Genesis of a Conflict: The Unravelling of Darfur

The roots of the Darfur conflict are complex, woven from a tapestry of historical grievances, environmental pressures, and political marginalisation. For centuries, the diverse communities of Darfur, a region roughly the size of France, coexisted in a delicate balance. This equilibrium, however, began to fray in the latter half of the twentieth century. A prolonged period of drought and desertification intensified competition over scarce resources, particularly land and water, between the region's predominantly non-Arab agricultural communities, such as the Fur, Masalit, and Zaghawa, and the nomadic Arab pastoralist tribes.

These environmental and economic tensions were exacerbated by a long history of political and economic neglect by the central government in Khartoum. The Arab-dominated governments that have historically held power in Sudan have been accused of systematically discriminating against the non-Arab populations of Darfur, denying them adequate representation, infrastructure, and a fair share of the nation's wealth. This sense of marginalisation and injustice festered, creating a fertile ground for dissent and rebellion.

The rise to power of General Omar al-Bashir in a 1989 military coup further inflamed the situation. Al-Bashir's government, driven by an Islamist ideology, sought to impose a more centralised and Arabised identity on the diverse nation, further alienating the non-Arab communities of Darfur. The government's response to growing unrest in the region was not one of reconciliation or development, but of repression.

By the early 2000s, the simmering tensions had boiled over into open conflict. In February 2003, two rebel groups, the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SLM/A) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), launched an insurgency against the Sudanese government, demanding an end to the marginalisation of Darfur and a more equitable distribution of power and resources. The government's response was swift and brutal, setting the stage for a humanitarian catastrophe of epic proportions.

The Devils on Horseback: The Rise of the Janjaweed

In response to the rebellion, the Sudanese government, under the leadership of Omar al-Bashir, unleashed a scorched-earth counter-insurgency campaign. A key element of this strategy was the mobilisation and arming of local Arab militias, which came to be known as the Janjaweed. The name, which is believed to be derived from the Arabic words for "spirit" and "horse," became a byword for terror and brutality.

The Janjaweed were not a new phenomenon; their origins can be traced back to earlier conflicts in the region, including the civil war in neighbouring Chad. However, under the patronage of the Khartoum government, they were transformed into a formidable and ruthless fighting force. Supplied with weapons, funding, and logistical support by the Sudanese military and intelligence services, the Janjaweed became the government's primary instrument for suppressing the rebellion in Darfur.

The Janjaweed's tactics were characterised by extreme violence and a deliberate targeting of civilian populations. Their attacks on villages and towns inhabited by the Fur, Masalit, and Zaghawa communities followed a chillingly consistent pattern. Sudanese air force bombers would often initiate the assaults, indiscriminately bombing civilian settlements. This would be followed by ground attacks by the Janjaweed, who would sweep into villages on horseback and in armed vehicles, killing, raping, and looting with impunity. Homes were burned, crops were destroyed, and wells were poisoned in a systematic effort to terrorise and displace the non-Arab population.

The United Nations estimates that the conflict in Darfur resulted in the deaths of approximately 300,000 people and the displacement of over 2.5 million others. The atrocities committed by the Janjaweed were so widespread and systematic that they were described by the United States government in 2004 as an act of genocide.

The Butcher of Darfur: The Crimes of Ali Kushayb

At the heart of this campaign of terror was Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman, more commonly known as Ali Kushayb. As a senior commander in the Janjaweed militia, Abd-Al-Rahman played a pivotal role in the planning and execution of numerous attacks on civilian populations in the Wadi Salih and Mukjar localities of West Darfur between August 2003 and March 2004.

During his trial at the ICC, a litany of horrific crimes were attributed to Abd-Al-Rahman and the forces under his command. Witnesses provided harrowing testimony of mass killings, systematic rape, torture, and the forced displacement of entire communities. The court heard how Abd-Al-Rahman personally participated in and gave orders for the commission of these atrocities.

In one particularly brutal incident, Abd-Al-Rahman was accused of loading approximately 50 civilians onto trucks, beating some with axes, before ordering his troops to execute them. He was also found guilty of personally killing captive civilians, including bludgeoning two men to death with an axe. The use of rape as a weapon of war was a central and devastating feature of the Janjaweed's campaign, and Abd-Al-Rahman was found to have encouraged and given instructions for the rapes committed by his forces.

The court found that the atrocities were not random acts of violence but were part of a coordinated government plan to crush the rebellion in Darfur. Abd-Al-Rahman, as a key figure in the Janjaweed hierarchy, was an enthusiastic participant in this plan, leading his forces in a rampage across Darfur and leaving a trail of death and destruction in his wake.

The Long Road to The Hague: The Pursuit of Justice

The international community's response to the crisis in Darfur was slow and often inadequate. Despite widespread condemnation of the violence, efforts to bring the perpetrators to justice were hampered by the Sudanese government's refusal to cooperate with international bodies. In March 2005, the United Nations Security Council, in a landmark decision, referred the situation in Darfur to the International Criminal Court. This was the first time the Security Council had referred a case to the ICC, and it gave the court jurisdiction over crimes committed in Darfur, even though Sudan is not a state party to the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the court.

The ICC's investigation in Darfur led to the indictment of several individuals, including the then-President of Sudan, Omar al-Bashir, who was charged with genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. However, the Sudanese government refused to surrender any of the suspects to the court, and for many years, it seemed that justice for the victims of Darfur would remain out of reach.

The tide began to turn in 2019 with the overthrow of Omar al-Bashir's regime following months of popular protests. The new transitional government in Sudan expressed a willingness to cooperate with the ICC, and in February 2020, it announced its intention to hand over the indicted suspects to the court.

Fearing for his life, Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman fled to the Central African Republic. In June 2020, he voluntarily surrendered himself to the ICC and was transferred to the court's custody in The Hague. His trial, which began in April 2022, was a complex and lengthy process, involving the testimony of 56 witnesses who recounted the horrific events they had witnessed and endured.

Throughout the trial, Abd-Al-Rahman maintained his innocence, claiming that he was not the person known as Ali Kushayb and that he had no involvement in the conflict. However, the court dismissed his defence, stating that it was "satisfied that the accused was the person known... as Ali Kushayb."

A Landmark Verdict: The Significance of the Conviction

The conviction of Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman is a momentous achievement for international justice. It is the first time that the ICC has successfully prosecuted and convicted an individual for the crimes committed in Darfur, and it sends a powerful message that those who commit atrocities will be held accountable, no matter how long it takes.

For the victims of the Darfur conflict, the verdict is a long-awaited and deeply significant moment. It is a recognition of their suffering and a validation of their struggle for justice. While the conviction of one man cannot erase the pain and trauma of the past, it is a crucial step towards healing and reconciliation.

The verdict also has broader implications for the pursuit of international justice. It demonstrates the ICC's ability to investigate and prosecute complex cases, even in the face of significant political and logistical challenges. It also reaffirms the principle that no one is above the law, and that even senior government officials and militia leaders can be held accountable for their crimes.

However, the conviction of Abd-Al-Rahman is not the end of the story. There are still several other individuals, including Omar al-Bashir, who are wanted by the ICC for their role in the Darfur conflict. The international community must continue to pressure the Sudanese authorities to surrender these suspects to the court so that they too can face justice.

Furthermore, the situation in Darfur remains fragile. The recent outbreak of conflict in Sudan between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which grew out of the Janjaweed militia, has led to a new wave of violence and displacement in the region. There are credible reports of ongoing atrocities, including ethnic cleansing and widespread sexual violence, being committed by the RSF and its allied militias. The ICC has already launched a new investigation into these crimes, and it is essential that the international community supports these efforts to ensure that the cycle of violence and impunity in Darfur is finally broken.

Conclusion

The conviction of Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman is a watershed moment in the long and arduous struggle for justice for the victims of the Darfur conflict. It is a testament to the resilience of the survivors, the dedication of human rights defenders, and the growing reach of international law. While the road to lasting peace and accountability in Darfur is still long, this landmark verdict offers a glimmer of hope that a future free from violence and impunity is possible. It is a powerful reminder that even in the darkest of times, the pursuit of justice can and must prevail. The international community now has a responsibility to build on this momentum, to ensure that all those responsible for the atrocities in Darfur are brought to justice, and to support the people of Sudan in their efforts to build a more peaceful and just society.

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