The International Criminal Court (ICC) has delivered a historic verdict, convicting Ali Muhammad Ali Abd–Al-Rahman, widely known as Ali Kushayb, for his role in orchestrating a campaign of terror in Sudan’s Darfur region more than two decades ago. Monday’s ruling marks the first time the ICC has secured a conviction for atrocities committed in Darfur, a region still haunted by violence and instability.
Presiding Judge Joanna Korner, addressing the court in The Hague, announced that Abd–Al-Rahman was found guilty on 27 counts of crimes against humanity and war crimes, including murder, rape, persecution, and ordering mass executions. The verdict comes after a lengthy trial that began in April 2022, with Abd–Al-Rahman pleading innocent to all 31 original charges and denying he was the notorious militia leader known as Ali Kushayb. The judges, however, unanimously rejected his defense, citing video evidence in which he identified himself by both his name and nickname when surrendering to authorities.
"He encouraged and gave instructions that resulted in the killings, the rapes and destruction committed by the Janjaweed," Judge Korner stated, according to Sky News. The court found that Abd–Al-Rahman was a senior commander in the Janjaweed militia, the group responsible for a wave of brutal attacks during the Darfur conflict that erupted in 2003. The violence, which included mass killings, systematic rape, torture, and persecution, was part of a broader government strategy to crush a rebellion by ethnic central and sub-Saharan African communities against the Arab-dominated regime in Khartoum.
The ICC’s investigation into Darfur began in 2005, but Monday’s conviction is its first in connection with the conflict. The judges heard harrowing testimony from 56 witnesses who described the use of rape as a weapon to terrorize and humiliate women, the summary execution of prisoners, and the destruction of entire villages. One particularly chilling account described Abd–Al-Rahman ordering his fighters during a massacre, saying, "Repeat, repeat for these people. Maybe there are some that you have missed." The defense, which called 17 witnesses, argued that Abd–Al-Rahman was not a militia leader but "a no one" with no involvement in the Darfur conflict. The court found otherwise.
The atrocities in Darfur were staggering in scale. United Nations estimates suggest that up to 300,000 people were killed between February 2003 and August 2020, when a peace agreement was finally signed. Some 2.7 million were driven from their homes. The Janjaweed, often attacking at dawn on horseback or camelback, swept through villages, leaving devastation in their wake. The campaign was supported by the government of then-President Omar al-Bashir, who himself has been charged by the ICC with genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. Despite being ousted from power and detained in Sudan, al-Bashir has not been handed over to the ICC and remains in military custody as of October 6, 2025.
Abd–Al-Rahman’s conviction represents a long-awaited measure of justice for the victims of Darfur. Enaam al-Nour, a Darfur rights defender and journalist, described the verdict as "finally a victory for justice, and justice for the victims of Darfur." The ICC’s Deputy Prosecutor Nazhat Shameem Khan echoed this sentiment, stating, "It sends a resounding message to perpetrators of atrocities in Sudan, both past and present, that justice will prevail, and that they will be held accountable for inflicting unspeakable suffering on Darfuri civilians, men, women and children," as reported by the Associated Press.
The court’s decision comes at a time when Sudan is once again engulfed in violence. Since 2023, fierce fighting has raged between the country’s military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a group that traces its origins to the Janjaweed militias. The two factions, once allies tasked with overseeing Sudan’s transition to democracy after a 2019 uprising, have turned on each other, plunging the nation into further chaos. The World Health Organization estimates that at least 40,000 people have been killed and as many as 12 million displaced in the most recent conflict. The World Food Program warns that more than 24 million people in Sudan are now facing acute food insecurity.
The RSF, accused of genocide, mass looting, sexual violence, and armed raids, continues to deny these allegations. Nevertheless, evidence of atrocities, including videos of fighters lynching women and attacking emergency responders, has circulated widely since April 2023. The ongoing violence in Darfur and beyond has compounded the suffering of communities already traumatized by earlier campaigns of terror.
Human rights advocates have hailed the ICC’s verdict as a watershed moment. Liz Evenson, international justice director at Human Rights Watch, said the conviction "provides the first opportunity for victims and communities terrorized by the Janjaweed to see a measure of justice before the court." She added, "With the current conflict in Sudan producing new generations of victims and compounding the suffering of those targeted in the past, the verdict should spur action by governments to advance justice by all possible means."
The ICC itself has been under intense global scrutiny. The court recently issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged crimes in Gaza, prompting fierce pushback and even sanctions from the Trump administration. Meanwhile, the ICC’s chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, has temporarily stepped aside amid an independent investigation into sexual misconduct claims. Despite these challenges, Monday’s conviction is seen as a significant victory for the court and for international justice.
Sudan’s path to accountability remains fraught. Political activist and former minister Khalid Omar welcomed the ICC’s decision and called for other wanted suspects, including al-Bashir, to be handed over to face justice. "Justice for the victims will come, even if it takes some time," he wrote on Facebook. The ICC’s verdict is expected to increase pressure on Sudanese authorities and the international community to cooperate with ongoing investigations and prosecutions.
For many in Darfur and across Sudan, the conviction of Ali Kushayb is both a milestone and a reminder of the long road ahead. The suffering caused by decades of violence, displacement, and impunity cannot be undone by a single verdict. Yet, as the court’s ruling reverberates through the region, it offers a glimmer of hope that justice, however delayed, is still possible.
Abd–Al-Rahman now awaits sentencing, with the possibility of life imprisonment. As the world watches, the people of Darfur and Sudan continue to grapple with the consequences of conflict and the promise of accountability.
