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Ali Kushayb, a Sudanese militia leader also known as Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman, has been convicted of war crimes and crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for atrocities committed in Darfur over two decades ago.
Kushayb, who led the Janjaweed, a government-backed militia, terrorised the region between 2003 and 2004, killing hundreds of thousands.
He is the first individual to face trial at the ICC for atrocities committed during the Darfur conflict, which lasted from 2003 to 2020. Kushayb had denied responsibility, claiming mistaken identity.
During the trial, survivors testified that villages were burned, men and boys slaughtered, and women subjected to sexual slavery.
The court found him guilty on 27 counts, concluding that he and his militia orchestrated mass executions, torture, and sexual violence.
The Darfur war began after the Arab-dominated government armed the Janjaweed to suppress a rebellion by black African ethnic groups.
Many former Janjaweed fighters have since joined the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which continue to clash with Sudan’s army in the ongoing civil war.
International observers have accused the RSF of ethnic cleansing against non-Arab communities.
Kushayb’s sentencing will be announced at a later date.
