Sudanese Court Sentences RSF Chief Hemedti to Death for Darfur War Crimes
A Sudanese court in Port Sudan has sentenced Rapid Support Forces commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, and 15 other senior RSF leaders to death in absentia for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide in West Darfur amid the Sudan war. [2] The proceedings took place in an area controlled by the Sudanese army and were conducted entirely in absentia. [2]
Court Delivers Death Sentences
The judicial tribunal in Port Sudan found the defendants guilty of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide related to the ongoing conflict in West Darfur. [2] The court in Port Sudan, a city under the army's rule, convicted Dagalo, known as Hemedti, in absentia, along with 15 other senior RSF members, who were given the same sentence. [3] This verdict represents the first formal judicial conviction of the RSF’s top leadership since the civil war erupted in April 2023. [2] The list of those sentenced alongside Dagalo includes his brother and deputy, Abdelrahim Hamdan Dagalo, and his brother Al-Qoni Hamdan Dagalo. [2] The court also convicted the RSF commander for West Darfur, Abdul Rahman Juma Barkallah. [2] Special Judge Mohamed Al-Amin formally delivered the rulings based on evidence presented during the in-absentia trial. [2]
Atrocities Cited in El-Geneina
The ruling stems from atrocities linked to the regional capital of el-Geneina. [2] The trial centred on alleged atrocities committed in the regional capital el-Geneina, including the June 2023 killing of the state governor, Khamis Abbakar. [3] Judges concluded that the defendants directed deliberate attacks against civilian infrastructure. [2] The court also found the 16 defendants guilty of orchestrating attacks on civilians, widespread destruction and looting of property, and the targeting of schools, places of worship and residential neighbourhoods. [3] These assaults included the widespread destruction of residential neighbourhoods, schools, and houses of worship. [2]
Sudanese court sentences RSF commander Hemedti and 15 others to death in absentia for Darfur war crimes. — Source: myjoyonline
Additional Court Orders
Special Judge Mohamed Al-Amin formally ordered the confiscation of all assets belonging to the RSF. [2] The court also ordered the confiscation of all RSF assets. [3] Additionally, the court has directed authorities to pursue Interpol Red Notices to facilitate the arrest and extradition of the convicted individuals. [2] Special Judge Mohamed Al-Amin ordered the confiscation of all RSF assets and instructed the authorities to seek Interpol Red Notices for the arrest and extradition of those convicted. [3]
Reactions and RSF Response
The Sudan Founding Alliance, which includes the RSF, told the BBC it was a "sham trial" that "does not even deserve a comment". [3] The RSF has not yet directly commented on the verdict, but has previously rejected accusations of war crimes during the conflict. [3] The RSF dismissed the proceedings as a sham trial. [2]
Sudanese court sentences RSF chief Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo to death in absentia for Darfur war crimes. — Source: bbc
Human Rights Documentation
UN investigators and various human rights organisations have repeatedly accused the RSF and allied militias of conducting ethnically motivated violence against the Masalit population. [2] UN investigators and human rights organisations have accused the RSF and allied Arab militias of carrying out ethnically targeted attacks against the Masalit population in Darfur. [3] In May 2024, a Human Rights Watch report said the campaign in and around el-Geneina between April and November 2023 killed thousands of people and forced hundreds of thousands to flee. [3] The rights organisation said the abuses amounted to war crimes and crimes against humanity committed as part of an ethnic cleansing campaign against the Masalit and other non-Arab communities. [3] The International Criminal Court has also intensified its focus on the region. [2] Earlier this month, the deputy chief prosecutor for the ICC stated that investigators now possess "concrete evidence" linking RSF leadership directly to war crimes. [2] Both sides have been accused of committing human rights abuses and war crimes. [3] Last year, United Nations investigators found the Sudanese army and the RSF to have targeted civilians and vital infrastructure, such as medical facilities in large-scale attacks. [3]
Conflict Overview and Enforcement Challenges
Sudan was plunged into a civil war in April 2023 after a vicious power struggle broke out between the leader of the Sudanese army Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Hemedti. [3] More than 150,000 people have died and 12 million more are estimated to have fled their homes amid the conflict. [3] Aid agencies say around 28 million people are facing acute hunger. [3] Despite the severity of the sentences, the practical impact of the ruling remains uncertain. [2] The RSF continues to maintain operational control over vast territories in western Sudan, and the convicted leaders currently remain outside the jurisdiction of the national army. [2] Hemedti’s exact location remains unknown to the public. [2] This ruling is the first judicial conviction of the RSF's leadership since civil war broke out, however its impact remains unclear as the group continues to control large parts of western Sudan and its leaders remain beyond the reach of the army. [3] Hemedti's whereabouts are not publicly known. [3] Legal experts note that such domestic rulings, issued by one side of an ongoing civil war, lack international enforceability and are frequently viewed as politically motivated by rival factions and foreign observers. [2]
What to watch next: The focus remains on the urgent need for a durable ceasefire and unimpeded humanitarian access to prevent further loss of life, while African Union mediators continue to call for an inclusive political process to replace military-led solutions.
