A Sudanese military court has sentenced Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, the leader of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), to death after convicting him of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide for atrocities in West Darfur. Fifteen other senior RSF figures received the same sentence.

The trial took place in Port Sudan, an army-controlled city. Hemedti was tried in absentia; his whereabouts remain unknown. The RSF rejected the ruling but has not officially commented. The paramilitary group has consistently denied allegations of war crimes.

Sudan's civil war began in April 2023 following a power struggle between army chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Hemedti, centering on the proposed integration of the RSF into the regular army. The conflict has displaced millions and caused a humanitarian crisis.

In Darfur, the RSF and allied militias have been accused of ethnically targeted killings, sexual violence, and mass displacement of non-Arab communities, particularly the Massalit. The court focused on atrocities in el-Geneina, including the June 2023 murder of West Darfur Governor Khamis Abakar.

Among those sentenced are Hemedti's brother and deputy, Abdelrahim Hamdan Dagalo; another brother, al-Qoni Hamdan Dagalo; and RSF's West Darfur commander, Abdul Rahman Juma Barkallah. The judge ordered confiscation of RSF assets and requested Interpol red notices for their arrest.

This is the first conviction of top RSF leaders since the war began, but its practical impact is unclear as the group controls large parts of western Sudan and those convicted remain beyond the army's reach.

International pressure has mounted: the US sanctioned Hemedti in January 2025 after determining the RSF committed genocide. A UN fact-finding mission concluded the RSF committed genocide during its siege of el-Fasher. The RSF denies all allegations. The Sudanese army also faces accusations of war crimes.

Source: www.aljazeera.com