The International Criminal Court on Tuesday sentenced former Sudanese militia commander Ali Muhammad Ali Abd al-Rahman, known as Ali Kushayb, to 20 years in prison for crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in Darfur.
Judges said the punishment reflects his conviction on 27 charges related to brutal attacks on civilians between August 2003 and April 2004.
They stressed that the chamber would have imposed a longer sentence had it not considered limited mitigating factors, including his age, good behaviour during proceedings, and his voluntary surrender.
The court confirmed that the time he spent in detention since June 2020 will be deducted from the overall sentence.
Kushayb was unanimously found guilty in October 2025 of 31 counts, including murder, torture, rape, persecution, pillaging, and the forcible transfer of civilians.
The crimes occurred during the Kodoom and Bindisi operations, as well as other linked military campaigns across Darfur.
His conviction followed the ICC’s decision in 2021 to confirm charges against the senior Janjaweed militia leader after he surrendered in the Central African Republic and was transferred to The Hague.
Darfur endured a devastating conflict beginning in 2003, pitting Sudanese government forces and allied militias against rebel groups seeking greater political and economic rights.
The war left an estimated 300,000 people dead and forced some 2.5 million others from their homes, according to UN figures.
The court said Tuesday’s ruling delivers a measure of accountability for crimes that scarred an entire region two decades ago.
