The International Criminal Court delivered its first conviction for atrocities in Sudan’s Darfur region on October 6, 2025. Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman, known as Ali Kushayb, was convicted on 27 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the Darfur conflict in 2003 and 2004. The unanimous verdict covers systematic mass killings, rape, torture, persecution, and forced displacement targeting civilian populations.
Historic ICC Conviction Details
Presiding Judge Joanna Korner confirmed Abd-Al-Rahman’s personal involvement in ordering and participating in executions, beatings, and other atrocities against ethnic Fur communities. The court established his leadership role within the Janjaweed militia and documented coordination with Sudanese government forces during military campaigns in Mukjar, Deleig, Kodoom, and Bindisi [1]. His conviction marks the first individual accountability for a Janjaweed commander and establishes the ICC’s first ruling on gender-based persecution [2][3].
Path to Justice
Abd-Al-Rahman voluntarily surrendered to the ICC in 2020 after fleeing to the Central African Republic amid political changes in Sudan. He will face sentencing at a future date with the possibility of life imprisonment. The trial began in April 2022 and featured testimony from 56 prosecution witnesses detailing the brutal violence and strategic use of sexual violence as a weapon of war [4][5].
Current Darfur Crisis Continues
The Darfur conflict from 2003 to 2020 resulted in approximately 300,000 deaths and displaced over 2.5 million people according to international estimates. The original Janjaweed militia evolved into the Rapid Support Forces in 2013, which now battles the Sudanese Armed Forces in an ongoing civil war since April 2023 [6][7]. The RSF controls most of Darfur and has imposed a siege on El Fasher, the regional capital, where 260,000 civilians remain trapped without safe exit routes [8].
The United States officially designated RSF actions in Darfur as genocide in January 2025, citing systematic targeting of non-Arab populations, mass killings, and widespread sexual violence [9]. UN officials warn of catastrophic humanitarian conditions with civilians facing starvation, disease, and continued attacks amid blocked aid access [10].
Outstanding Justice Efforts
Multiple ICC arrest warrants remain active for other suspects:
- Former President Omar al-Bashir faces genocide and war crimes charges
- Ex-Interior Minister Ahmad Muhammad Harun awaits prosecution
- Former Defense Minister Abdel Raheem Hussein remains at large
- Al-Bashir is reportedly in military custody in northern Sudan
The ICC Prosecutor’s Office continues pursuing these cases while the international community calls for increased accountability measures. This landmark conviction provides hope for justice despite the continuing violence affecting millions of Sudanese civilians across the region.
