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| Ali Kushayb |
— DARFUR
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has sentenced former Sudanese militia commander Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman, widely known as Ali Kushayb, to 20 years in prison. The 76-year-old was convicted for a series of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed more than two decades ago in Darfur, Sudan.
Kushayb, a senior leader of the government-backed Janjaweed militia, was found guilty on 27 separate charges for his role in brutal attacks between 2003 and 2004. The court ruled that he both directed and personally participated in atrocities aimed at destroying non-Arab communities.
Evidence presented during the trial detailed a campaign of violence where Janjaweed fighters, under Kushayb’s command, burned villages to the ground, massacred civilians, and carried out systematic sexual violence. Judges stated that Kushayb had ordered his fighters to “wipe out” entire communities.
The attacks led to the displacement of millions of people. Survivors testified to the court, describing scenes of their villages being destroyed, men and boys executed, and women and girls abducted and enslaved.