The International Criminal Court (ICC) has entered the final stages of its first-ever trial involving crimes committed during Sudan’s Darfur conflict. Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman, also known as Ali Kushayb, is accused of leading Sudan’s Janjaweed militia in a campaign of murder, rape, and torture between 2003 and 2004.
Prosecutors allege he played a key role in atrocities that left 300,000 dead and forced 230,000 to flee to neighbouring Chad, according to UN figures.
Abd-Al-Rahman, 72, denies the 31 charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity, claiming he was merely a pharmacist caught up in the conflict.
Final arguments
Closing arguments at the court in The Hague began Wednesday and will span three days, with prosecutors, victim representatives and Abd-Al-Rahman’s defence presenting their final statements.
The trial, which began almost three years ago, included testimony from 56 prosecution witnesses, many of whom gave evidence anonymously or behind closed doors due to security concerns.
"Civilians were attacked, raped and murdered, their homes and villages were destroyed, thousands were forcibly displaced," former ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda told the court during the trial.
"Men were loaded onto vehicles, taken a short distance away and executed in cold blood. Mr Abd-Al-Rahman was present at and directly participated in these callous crimes."
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Suspects at large
Abd-Al-Rahman is the first Sudanese leader to be tried at the ICC. However, three other former officials from ex-president Omar al-Bashir's regime, including Bashir himself, face charges but remain at large.
The fighting erupted when non-Arab tribes protesting systematic discrimination took up arms against Bashir's Arab-dominated government, which responded by deploying the Janjaweed militia.
Abd-Al-Rahman fled Sudan in 2020, eventually surrendering to the ICC in the Central African Republic four months after the new Sudanese government announced it would cooperate with ICC investigators.
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Ongoing crisis
As the ICC trial ends, Sudan faces another devastating conflict. Fighting between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and Sudan's army has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions.
Current ICC prosecutor Karim Khan said the court had made "significant progress" in investigating new war crimes linked to the ongoing conflict.
"I hope by my next report, I will be able to announce applications for warrants of arrest regarding some of those individuals that are the most responsible," he said.
The judges will retire to deliberate after hearing the final arguments.
